Leigh Centurions...19

Barrow Border Raiders...8 IF first impressions are anything to go by, then the shrewdest bit of off-season business Leigh have pulled off is the capture of Simon Svabic.

On the evidence at a saturated Hilton Park it's baffling to see why Salford let him go in the first place. Still, the Reds' loss is the Centurions' gain.

The 20-year-old stand-off made the most impressive of debuts, scoring a crucial try, kicking three goals and a field goal as well as playing a significant part in Leigh's other two tries.

Svabic's long, raking pass set up the best of Leigh's three tries and is was the stand-off who cemented the victory in the closing minutes.

A shrewd field goal practically guaranteed Leigh the points but just to make doubly sure he went over for a last minute try.

On a miserable day when the fancy stuff had to be kept to a premium, Leigh showed they are capable of playing controlled football in the wet. Their completion rate was high, their kicking game showed marked improvement on last season and a resolute defence all set the platform for an opening victory.

While Svabic took the scoring accolades, it was the effectiveness of Leigh's teamwork that generally won them through.

Co-skippers Andy Fairclough and Adam Bristow provided great leadership in attack and defence while Neil Turley recovered from a nervy opening in which he missed a kick for touch and dropped a re-start, to give another full-back display of some maturity.

Substitute hooker John Hamilton gave glimpses of the future with a couple of stunning breaks while another second half replacement, Dave Bradbury, made his presence felt. Add to that strong performances from Alan Hadcroft, Paul Anderson and Simon Baldwin and it's not hard to see why Leigh will again be the team to beat this season.

Svabic kicked Leigh into a fourth minute lead with a 20-metre penalty after Barrow had been pulled up for holding down.

The opening try, when it came, was a real beauty - right out of Leigh's top drawer. They showed they are capable of striking from anywhere when Svabic's long pass 10 meters inside his own half cut out two defenders and put winger Hadcroft in open pasture. He made good ground, timed his pass inside tom perfection and Fairclough completed a magnificent move.

John Duffy was penalised for holding down in the tackle and Darren Holt got Barrow's first points on the board before Svabic cancelled it out with a penalty of his own to make it 10-2.

Although Leigh blew a couple of chances to put the game well out of Barrow's reach, they never looked like conceded the initiative even when Mike Whitehead broke the line and held off the cover for a converted try at the foot of the posts.

That try, coming six minutes into the second half, was Leigh's alarm call and although Barrow provided stern opposition and defended with unflagging spirit on a stamina-sapping pitch, it was as close as they got.

Five minutes later Leigh made great inroads up their left flank, switched the ball right and after good work from Bradbury, Svabic brought Paul Anderson back on an inside run, the centre scattering the defence before sliding in. Svabic showed he was mortal by striking a post with his goal shot.

Barrow were put out of their misery in the final five minutes as Leigh hit them with another five points.

Svabic potted a 20 metre field goal to give Leigh a two-score advantage and then in the final minute and after a mesmerising bout of handling in the corner, Svabic plunged in for a try.

LEIGH: Turley; Hadcroft, Anderson, Fairclough, Ingram; Svabic, Duffy; Street, Roden, Norman, Kendrick, Baldwin, Bristow. Subs: Morley (for Ingram 57), Bradbury (for Street 31), Leathem (for Norman 24), Hamilton (for Roden 27), Roden (for Hamilton 74), Street (for Leathem 67).

ATTENDANCE: 2588.