Leigh 26-40 Wakefield: Danny Kirmond double sinks Centurions
Last Updated: 06/05/17 9:40pm
Wakefield let slip a 20-0 lead before recovering to beat Leigh 40-26 in a high-scoring Super League clash at the Sports Village.
In a what was at times a chaotic, end-to-end encounter, Leigh showed admirable fighting spirit but it was not enough to stop them slipping to their eighth consecutive defeat in all competitions.
Wakefield made a whirlwind start and were 20-0 up after only 14 minutes. Matty Ashurst set up Jacob Miller for their first try in the third minute after initial good work by Liam Finn, who also added the conversion.
Leigh still had not touched the ball by the time Wakefield crossed for their second try moments later. Second rower Danny Kirmond was able to fend off several would-be tackles on a 15-metre charge. Finn kicked the conversion and
also added a penalty in the 11th minute.
And when Wakefield scored a third try in the 14th minute it looked like game over for the home side. A long pass was picked out by Wakefield centre Reece Lynne who raced 60 metres to score.
But then it was Leigh's turn to enjoy some possession and in the 16th minute they got off the mark. Winger Curtis Naughton was first to react when a loose pass was kicked ahead and he scored under the posts.
Three minutes later, Centurions were in again. Second rower Jamie Acton hit Eloi Pelissier's short pass from close range to score.
A Finn penalty briefly stemmed the tide for Trinity but Leigh finished the half strongly with a third try. Gregg McNally's pass to the corner gave Matty Dawson the chance to finish well in the corner and although Josh Drinkwater could not
add the goal, it meant the half-time deficit was only a converted try.
Leigh continued the fightback after the restart when Dawson scored his second try after taking Ryan Hampshire's kick to the corner, reducing the Wakefield lead to just two.
They did not have to wait long to take the lead. Again it was Hampshire who created the chance with a kick which was flicked on by Gareth Hock to Naughton and he touched down in the 49th minute. Drinkwater's conversion saw Leigh 26-22 up.
The try, though, served as something of a wake-up call for Chris Chester's side and they found their second wind as the final quarter approached. Centre Joe Arundel finished off a counter attack in the corner and Finn's goal restored
Wakefield's lead.
Leigh's chances were further hindered by the 63rd minute sin-binning of Danny Tickle and Wakefield took advantage of their extra man almost immediately.
Some quick hands to the left side gave winger Mason Caton-Brown a chance to show his pace and he produced a superb dart to the corner.
The visitors wrapped up the win with a second try from Kirmond under the posts and with Finn adding his eighth goal from as many attempts, the game was well beyond Leigh.
