Leigh Centurions 27 Batley Bulldogs 22 by Mike Hulme: THE Centurions were given a rare day off on Monday.

Not as a direct reward for beating the tenacious Bulldogs to stay top of the LHF National League One - but because they could barely walk, let alone train.

Rest and recuperation has been ordered by coach Darren Abram who continues to see his patched-up and leg-weary squad decimated by injury and handicapped by fatigue.

Starting without the injured Paul Rowley and Ian Knott, Leigh's casualty list got two more names with Tommy Martyn and Steve Maden being hurt before half time. With neither able to return, it put further strain on the squad and by full time they were virtually out on their feet.

"It's been a massive month for us with a lot of travelling and some really tough games," said Abram. "The strain of doing a day's work, training and playing is beginning to show and I've told the lads they can have a day off to try and freshen up.

"Injuries are part and parcel of the game but we do seem to be getting more than our fair share. Even today we had lads out there playing busted, but they put their hands up and went out and got the two points. I'm proud of everyone of them."

It was probably Ian Millward who coined the phrase 'winning ugly' and this was one of those occasions when Leigh ground out a result and left the fancy stuff in the dressing room.

"We knew it was going to be a dog-fight against Batley," Abram added. "Batley are up there in the leading bunch with us. They are no easy team to play against. They will upset some teams because they are well organised and well coached. To turn them over is a big plus for us."

When Leigh lost Martyn to a shoulder injury after 25 minutes, the third element of their crucial midfield triangle was missing and it's little wonder that some of the cutting edge was blunted.

But out of adversity up stepped a match-winner - albeit an unlikely one.

Oliver Wilkes, recruited as a wide running second rower, has already been pressed into emergency service as a prop this season and this time he was given yet another role - loose forward. He took to it like a veteran and won the match of the match verdict by a country mile.

Wilkes has never been short of energy and enthusiasm but on this occasion he also showed he could score and create tries. He picked up a couple himself and then set up a crucial second half touchdown for Andrew Isherwood.

Neil Turley was another to come up with a big game despite not training all week. He was rock solid under the aerial attack that came from Dean Lawford and Barry Eaton, came up with his customary try, banged over five goals and weighed in with an important drop goal - just a normal Sunday afternoon at the office!

Ben Cooper and Danny Halliwell are beginning to forge a more than useful centre pairing while Simon Knox, Heath Cruckshank and Dave Larder got through a ton of graft in the forwards.

When Leigh struck twice early on to build up a 12-0 lead a runaway victory was on the cards but the tenacious Bulldogs don't roll over that easily and after that quickfire start they made it an uncomfortable afternoon for the leaders.

A booming 40/20 from Martyn set up the position from where Leigh struck inside three minutes. Spanning the width of the pitch in just three passes, Martyn supplied the money ball for Wilkes to smash his way through to the line.

Not long afterwards John Duffy's jinking break saw him link with Halliwell and Turley was on hand to finish things off by flashing past Mark Sibson on his way to the posts. A conversion and a penalty from Turley had Leigh well in control at 12-0.

But when Leigh lost Martyn and Maden within two minutes of each other, the tide started to turn. Martyn hurt his collar bone when he launched himself at ex-Leigh favourite Sean Richardson and Maden was stretchered off with knee ligament damage.

Leigh were still re-arranging their defensive pattern when Richardson's long pass got Sibson away down the wing. Cutting inside, he found Lawford and his short ball gave sub Craig Lingard the chance to go over for a try converted by Eaton.

Seconds before half time Turley knocked over a one pointer to give Leigh a 13-6 interval lead.

Seven minutes into the second half Batley were back to within one point. Long passes by Lawford and Eaton brought the first of two tries for second rower Mark Toohey and again Eaton converted.

Leigh needed something special to stop the rot and twice within as many minutes Wilkes came up with the goods.

Peeling away from the back of a scrum, Wilkes surprised the Batley defence with the neatest of flicked passes that gave Isherwood and walk-in at the side of the posts. Two minutes later Isherwood's 60 metres gallop set up the position from where Dave McConnell got Wilkes over again. One conversion and a penalty from Turley gave Leigh some daylight at 25-12.

But a tiring Leigh side put themselves under pressure when they knocked on and then conceded a penalty back to back. Mark Cass produced a pass round his marker and prop David Rourke rumbled over the line.

A 74th minute Turley penalty calmed Leigh's nerves but only for a short time as a mistake from McConnell led to Toohey's second try and Eaton's goal close the gap to five points.

Rookie ref Ben Thaler didn't have the best of afternoons but when he disallowed a late Danny Maun try for a forward pass he probably went up in Leigh's estimations.

Scorers - Leigh: Tries - Wilkes (3, 58), Turley (10), Isherwood (56). Gls: Turley 5/7. FG: Turley.

Batley: Tries - Lingard (35), Toohey (47, 76), Rourke (69). Gls: Eaton 3/4.

Leigh: Turley; Maden, Halliwell, Cooper, Munro; Duffy, Martyn; Sturm, McConnell, Cruckshank, Larder, Potter, Wilkes. Subs (all used): Swann, Knox, Marshall, Isherwood.

Batley: Sibson; Beard, Royston, Maun, Powell; Lawford, Eaton; Hill, Cartledge, Rourke, Toohey, Spink, Richardson. Subs (all used): Cass, Harrison, Lingard, Molyneux.

Penalties conceded: Leigh 12, Batley 8

Handling errors: Leigh 11, Batley 7.

Half time: 13-6

Full time 27-22

Referee: Ben Thaler (Wakefield).

Attendance: 2030.

Man

rOLIVER Wilkes rarely gets the recognition for the work he does. This week he stands in the spotlight alone and fully deserves the accolade.

Magic

rThe scrum base move that saw Wilkes create a try for Isherwood. It must give the players and coach so much satisfaction when a training ground routine comes off so sweetly.

Moan

rTHE loss of Martyn and Maden in the space of two minutes. Leigh must have killed a black cat the way the injuries are piling up.