BEN Reynolds missed a penalty after the final hooter as Leigh surrendered their 11-game unbeaten run in dramatic circumstances against Betfred Championship leaders Toronto at Summer Bash

Centurions looked destined for a place in the top four for the first time this season as they led 26-12 with 17 minutes remaining.

Instead, Paul Rowley’s Wolfpack, including 10 ex Leigh players, scored three tries and Ryan Brierley kicked a brace of conversions to turn the contest on its head.

Peter Mata’utia’s sin binning for a high tackle with eight minutes left further hit Leigh’s chances of protecting th club’s unbeaten record at Bloomfield Road.

But Reynolds could have salvaged a deserved draw from the tee. Even then there were suggestions his kick had actually gone over.

The miss prompted jubilant scenes among Toronto’s players but led to several unsavoury incidents that marred what had been a great game played in good spirit.

“It was a heartbreaker,” said head coach Kieron Purtill after his first game in official charge.

“The effort was there but we were a bit loose in the ruck and some of our last plays weren’t great.

“But it is not the end of the road for us because we have plenty of games left.”

Ex Leigh chief Rowley: “It was a mad penalty at the end but I would have still taken a draw from where we had been.

“Ben’s pretty reliable with the boot and Leigh fans cheered so I thought he had kicked the goal. But apparently it went over the top of the left upright.

“It’s a massive win for us but an even bigger loss for Leigh. But they will definitely finish in the top four.”

Prop Nathan Mason gave Leigh a perfect start, dotting the ball over the line after Gareth O’Brien failed to deal with Reynolds’ high, crossfield kick.

Centurions old boy Brierley took a bruising hit from Harrison Hansen and two successive penalties set-up the Canadians first attacking chance after 11 minutes.

They made full use of the platform and Josh McCrone skipped through two tacklers to score with ease. Brierley’s goal tied the scores.

A penalty for a high shot on Jamie Acton released more Toronto pressure and eventually for Mata’utia to produce a try scoring pass for Ben Crooks.

Another high ball fumble by O’Brien, saw Acton waltzing onto Drew Hutchison’s off load to score from 10 metres.

O’Brien quickly atoned within two minutes of the re-start, bobbing and weaving through the defensive line for Brierley to improve.

Helped by a high stepping break from Reynolds, Leigh restored their 10 points lead after 47 minutes.

Drew Hutchison’s kick was taken in the air by Crooks who dummied to off load before spinning out of Nick Rawsthorne’s tackle and onto the try line.

Leigh were starting to turn the screw and they achieved a three-score advantage when Jack Owens accepted Craig Hall’s pass to cross in the corner. Reynolds missed his conversion but Leigh led 26-12.

However, that gap was whittled down to just four points as tries from Nick Rawsthorne and Olsi Krasniqi in three minutes plus a Brierley conversion put the outcome in doubt.

So, when Mata’utia was sin binned with eight minutes left for a high tackle on Matty Russell, the task suddenly became even harder.

And the 12-men couldn’t hang on as Cory Paterson scored against his former club to tie the scores. Brierley’s goal from wide out edged Toronto into a lead they gratefully held onto despite the late nerves.

Match stats

Toronto:

O’Brien; Russell, Worthington, Rawsthorne, Kay; McCrone, Brierley; Emmit, Beswick, Hopkins, Dixon, Paterson, Krasniqi; substitutes: Sims, Buchanan, Sidlow, Ackers

Tries: McCrone (11), O’Brien (42), Rawsthorne (63), Krasniqi (66), Paterson (76)

Goals: Brierley 4/6.

Leigh: Mata’utia; Dawson-Jones, Crooks, Hall, Owens; Reynolds, Hutchison; Bailey, Higham, Mason, Hansen, B Thompson, J Thompson; substitutes: Hood, Richards, Baldwinson, Acton.

Tries: Mason (3), Crooks (22, 47), Acton (35), Owens (56)

Goals: Reynolds 3/5,

Referee: Scott Mikalauskas.

Half-time: 6-16

Attendance:7,877,