A very welcome return to winning ways.

Leigh welcomed 9th placed Liverpool Collegiate to Hand Lane yesterday, hoping to beat them for the second time this season and beat them they did, racking up five tries and earning themselves a bonus point along the way.

Veteran scrum half, David Wood, made a comeback appearance, standing in for regular scrum half Alex Leadbetter, who was rested ahead of his Under 20’s match for Lancashire against Cheshire the next day.

David’s experience certainly showed and he cleverly marshaled the team around the park. His decision-making played a major part in Leigh’s victory yesterday.

Leigh got off to a flying start, in the second minute, when full back, Jamie King, went over for an unconverted try following a good passage of play.

Rob Drake soon extended Leigh’s lead to eight points, with a penalty on fifteen minutes, then it was his brother Jonny who got onto the score sheet, when he hit a great line to take a short pass and scorch over, under the Collegiate posts, for a well executed try, which was duly converted by Rob in the thirtieth minute. Collegiate soon collected themselves and worked their way down the pitch to put Leigh under pressure, close to their line. From this platform, Collegiate worked the ball, wide out to the right, to cross for a well-deserved try.

Leigh bounced back immediately and a sublime, long, flat pass from Rob Drake found Alex Owens unopposed, wide out on the left wing, for him to canter over for a lovely try, which unfortunately went unconverted.

Leigh kept up the momentum and good hands across the line just before half time, found Eliot Liku, in space on the right, for him to gallop over for Leigh’s fourth try of the match, which was superbly converted from near the touchline by Rob Drake.

Half time Leigh 27 Collegiate 5.

The second half was an interesting affair, with both sides throwing themselves at each other and largely cancelling each other out.

It was Leigh, however, who broke the deadlock, in the seventy fifth minute, when a lovely short ball by David Wood found Eliot Liku, who crashed through the Collegiate defence before brilliantly offloading to supporting prop, Dan Hunter, who gleefully trotted over for a rare try, which was easily converted by Rob Drake to conclude the proceedings.

Full time Leigh 34 Collegiate 5.

This was a display that Leigh have been threatening to deliver for some time and yesterday they delivered with bundles of skill and determination.

The whole squad performed admirably but four people especially caught the eye for their outstanding contributions – David Wood and Rob Drake in the backs and Eliot Liku and Marcus Morris-Williams in the forwards.

Next week Leigh travel to Hoylake in search of another victory, which will, hopefully, propel them up the League Table.