Leigh Centurions 50 Featherstone Rovers 12 by Mike Hulme

LEIGH Centurions are back in business - and mean business.

That's the message this result will send to their National League One rivals as they make another attempt to reach Super League.

After an indifferent Arriva Trains Cup competition, Leigh have started the league season at full throttle and after just four games have already opened up a two point lead at the top with a 100 per cent record. Yesterday's top quality performance saw third placed Featherstone swept aside - this a team that had toppled bookies' favourites Salford the previous week.

Leigh just didn't just win this one - they were a class apart. Four tries in a sensational first 23 minutes rocked Rovers to the core. There was no way they could recover from such a blistering opening.

Phil Kendrick (2), Sean Richardson and Adam Bristow all touched down in the first quarter as Rovers were blown out of the water. Pat Weisner added a couple of goals on his way to a match tally of seven, as Leigh opened up a 20-0 lead.

Half backs Weisner and John Duffy were instrumental figures as Leigh continued to tear the Rovers defence apart and before half time top try scorer Damian Munro had crossed for the first of his hat-trick.

Six minutes into the second half and Munro had strolled over for his second and before the hour Paul Rowley had scampered clear to make it 38-0.

Rovers still had no answer to sweeping attacks and when Duffy put Munro in for his third, Leigh were on their way to a half century.

Rovers were allowed little leeway in attack as Leigh's defence held firm until the 65th minute when Steve Dooler burst over and Carl Briggs added the extra conversions.

But it was only a temporary setback for the Hilton Park side as Leroy Rivett showed good finishing skills to nip over at the corner. Rovers' second success came deep into stoppage time when Andy Rice went over and Briggs added the goal.