Leigh Centurions 19 Whitehaven 12 by Mike Hulme: THE Centurions could hardly have asked for a better Easter.

Successive wins over tricky opponents to kick off the new National League One season have significantly raised morale after some hit-and-miss displays in the Arriva Trains Cup.

This could be the start of something special with Leigh's newlook squad now showing distinct signs of coming together as a team - just as coach Paul Terzis always said it would.

Good Friday's excellent win at Hull KR was followed on Monday by an equally satisfying victory over another likely play-off contender, Whitehaven. Two wins from two starts and top spot in the National League will do fine for starters.

Terzis has rewarded his weary squad with a week's break - and no-one will deny they deserve it. "Two games in four days as well as solid training for 10 days, has taken its toll," Terzis said. "We don't play again until May 4, so it's now an ideal time to let the players have a bit of a breather and re-charge the batteries."

By the time that game at Batley on May 4 comes round, Leigh are hoping their lengthy casualty list will have shortened considerably. Both Easter games have been won without their three leading scorers; Neil Turley (ankle), Damian Munro (back) and Dale Cardoza (suspended) all sidelined.

"A lot of players are carrying knocks. This short break will help considerably," adds Terzis.

The absence of Turley, Munro and Cardoza has given opportunities to the likes of David Alstead, Phil Kendrick and Dale Holdstock to show what they can do. None of them disappointed.

Full-back Alstead impresses with each passing game; Kendrick has been strong and dependable in the centres and what a few days Holdstock's had - three tries in two holiday games.

Dave Bradbury and Paul Rowley were Leigh's driving forces in the pack but it was halves Pat Weisner and John Duffy who really made Leigh tick.

Whitehaven, only beaten in the Challenge Cup prior to Monday, will be a tough nut for anyone to crack this year - just ask Salford. Aggressive in defence and more than capable in attack, the Cumbrians will upset a few apple carts this season.

But the found Leigh in no mood to take a backward step anywhere on the park. At times they threw everything but the kitchen sink at the Centurions, but the majority of their attacks floundered on Leigh's rock solid defence.

Leigh applied all the early pressure and for the best part of 15 minutes Whitehaven were trapped in their own half. But Leigh's only reward was a solitary try from Bryan Henare and a 6-0 lead. Duffy had already hit an upright before Leigh broke through; Alstead making the extra man in the line and Henare striding through the gap for a try goaled from wide out by Lee Sanderson.

Whitehaven enjoyed a greater share of play after Leigh's opening assault but were completely snuffed out and restricted to a solitary penalty from Darren Holt that made the half time score 6-2. Leigh's advantage could have been greater but Sanderson missed with a penalty shot and Holdstock was forced over the corner flag.

Holt's penalty at the start of the second half pegged Leigh back to 6-4 but in the middle section of the game they began to pull clear.

Ex-Salford full-back Gary Broadbent had already had to make one try-saving on a runaway Holdstock after being put clear by Weisner when Leigh managed to strike again. Willie Swann's deft kick was hacked on by Kendrick and as the 'Haven defence dithered, Rowley pounced for his ninth try of the season. Sanderson was again wide with the goal shot.

Three minutes later Weisner increased Leigh's lead to 11-4 with a monster field goal from over 40 metres.

Whitehaven's resistance had been broken and the killer try came just short of the hour and it was a typically trademark Leigh effort. Alan Hadcroft, again in top form, started it with a break from out of defence, Weisner carried it on and Holdstock finished brilliantly. Sanderson's goal attempt hit the woodwork and bounced out.

Leigh were in control until an attempted chip over the top was plucked out of the air by Leroy Joe who made 40 metres before sending Jamie Stenhouse in at the corner to cut Leigh's lead to 15-8.

Any hopes Whitehaven had of staging a comeback were soon erased as Leigh again came the length of the field to settle it. Again it was Hadcroft's power and pace that did the initial damage before Alstead loomed up on his outside to take the final pass the dive in at the corner.

The games was in its death throes when a momentary defensive slip on their own line let Stenhouse in for his second try.

SCORERS

Leigh: Tries - Henare (13), Rowley (50), Holdstock (59), Alstead (68). Gls: Sanderson 1/4, Duffy 0/2. Weisner fg.

Whitehaven: Tries - Stenhouse (61, 80). Gls: Holt 2/5.

TEAMS

Leigh: Alstead; Watts, Holdstock, Kendrick, Hadcroft; Sanderson, Duffy; Nickle, Rowley, Norman, Richardson, Henare, Bristow. Subs used: Swann, Weisner, Hamilton, Bradbury.

Whitehaven: Broadbent; Wood, Seeds, Hill, Stenhouse; Joe, Holt; Vaughan, Lester, Fatialofa, McKinney, Morton, Purdham. Subs used: Kiddie, Miller, Whitehead, Cunningham.

Penalties conceded: Leigh 9, Whitehaven 12.

Handling errors: Leigh 5, Whitehaven 6.

Referee: Richard Silverwood (Mirfield).

Attendance: 1996

rANOTHER quality team effort with some top class individual performances. Hard to choose between Weisner, Rowley, Hadcroft, Holdstock or Bradbury. But Holdstock has taken his chance well.

rHOLDSTOCK'S second half try that more or less clinched it for Leigh. It was trademark Centurions - almost tryline to tryline.

rWHITEHAVEN'S persistent interferance at the play the ball. Even more infuriating was Mr Silverwood letting them get away with it.