Leigh 22-8 Warrington: Centurions punish struggling Wolves
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 17/03/17 8:49am
Leigh claimed their biggest scalp yet on their return to Betfred Super League as they piled on the misery for bottom club Warrington with a 22-8 win.
Former England forward Gareth Hock grabbed two tries as the Centurions followed up their victories over St Helens and Huddersfield with an impressive defeat of the Wolves to leave last year's league leaders still looking for their first win of the season.
Leigh never looked back after racing into a 10-0 lead after 15 minutes and they were 20-2 up before conceding their first try in two matches as they cantered to a first win over Warrington since 1988.
It means that, just six matches into the season, the Centurions have already won more than they managed throughout the entire previous season in Super League in 2005 as they climbed into the top four.
Despite the appearance of skipper Chris Hill for his first game since England's defeat by Australia in November, Warrington were unrecognisable from the team that beat Brisbane Broncos so impressively in the World Club Series and pressure is now sure to mount on long-serving coach Tony Smith.
The fortunes of both Kurt Gidley, who was switched from full-back to scrum-half alongside Kevin Brown, and his team failed to improve as the Centurions continued to play them off the park.
Leigh were boosted by the return of Australian second rower Glenn Stewart and they made a blazing start that appeared to take their visitors by surprise.
Hock led the Centurions' onslaught and it was from one of his barnstorming runs that he opened the scoring with the game's first try in the sixth minute.
Ben Reynolds added the goal to make it 6-0 and Leigh added a second try after 15 minutes when Gidley lost the ball in a thunderous tackle from Harrison Hansen.
From the resultant free-play, centre Ben Crooks hacked the ball forward and regathered to touch down.
The Wolves could do little right with the ball and their luck was out in the 22nd minute when second rower Jack Hughes had a try disallowed by video referee Robert Hicks, who ruled an offside in the build-up.
Reynolds increased the lead to 12-0 with a penalty three minutes before the break but Gidley cancelled that out with a kick in the last act of the first half following a punch by Leigh forward Atelea Vea.
Leigh made it difficult for themselves when Stewart was sin-binned six minutes into the second half for a high tackle that forced Brown out of the rest of the match but Warrington were so out of sorts that they could not take advantage of the extra man.
Hooker Daryl Clark, Warrington's best player, got over the line after 49 minutes but lost control of the ball as he attempted to touch it down, and the visitors were also reduced to 12 men in the 55th minute when winger Tom Lineham was punished for using his elbow on winger Adam Higson.
The home side made use of the extra man to work Higson over for a third try and man of the match Hock powered his way over for his second before Lineham grabbed a consolation on his return to the field.
