Doncaster Dragons 16, Leigh Centurions 11

THREE second half errors sent the Centurions spinning to their first league defeat of the season writes Mike Hulme

It was unlucky 13 for Leigh who saw their lead at the top of the table slashed to just a single point. Now they must quickly regroup before next Sunday's showdown with major rivals Keighley.

Coach Paul Terzis was quick to praise the Dragons who put the club's financial troubles behind them to stun the leaders. "Doncaster only allowed us to play at the level we played at. They never gave us the chance to get our normal game together.

"Our first half defensive performance was brilliant and at half time I couldn't see them scoring a try. Then we turn round and come up with three errors that cost us three tries and the match."

The winning score came just two minutes from time with Leigh clinging to an 11-10 lead. Doncaster's debutant full-back Johnny Woodcock somehow picked his way through four defenders to crash over at the side of the posts. Craig Weston made no mistake with the kick.

Doncaster showed tremendous pride and passion and never let Leigh get into their stride and for over 30 minutes the two teams cancelled each other out.

Leigh finally sneaked ahead four minutes from half time with a Simon Svabic penalty after Liam Bretherton had been felled by a high shot from Weston. On the stroke of half time Svabic doubled Leigh's lead with another successful penalty shot.

But within 45 seconds of the re-start Leigh knew they were in for a hard time. Bretherton knocked on from the kick off and when Weston raced across the face of the defensive line, winger Anton Garcia straighted up and shot over at the corner.

Eight minutes later Leigh were behind when Paul Mansson dummied this way and that, went through a gap and rounded Neil Turley for a try goaled by Weston.

It took Leigh until the hour mark to finally break through Doncaster's scrambling defence. Jamie Gass and Dave Bradbury did the damage up the middle and Turley supported to gallop in for his 28th try of the season. Svabic goaled for 10-10.

Leigh looked like they'd snatched a 13th straight win when Svabic smacked over a field goal nine minutes from time but when Andy Leathem lost possession 20 metres from his own line, the Dragons put on the last gasp move that settled it.

Leigh: Turley, Watts, Anderson, Johnson, Ingram, Svabic, Bretherton, Bradbury, Hamilton, Whittle, Baldwin, Kendrick, Bristow. Subs: Gass, Leathem, Duffy, Swann.