FEATHER WEIGHT IS LIFTED

Featherstone NEIL JUKES breathed a sigh of relief after Leigh got their survival battle in the Middle 8s off to a winning start.

Centurions have had a tough year back in the top flight but were too good for part-timers Rovers.

Leigh boss Jukes said: “We know how tough it is to come to this place if you are not on song.

“Getting off to a winning start was really important in the Eights but full credit to Fev.”

Rovers made a horror start, going 12-0 down inside six minutes to tries from Daniel Mortimer and Gregg McNally.

But they recovered well in the first half, fighting back with a try from prop Darrell Griffin.

Luke Briscoe also had a try disallowed and both Frankie Mariano and Andy Bostock went close to bloodying Centurions’ noses.

But winger Mitch Brown scored to leave Leigh breathing a little easier at

16-6 ahead at the break. And they ran away with the second half as their superior class and fitness started to take its toll on the Championship side.

Liam Hood, Matty Dawson and Josh Drinkwater piled on the pressure with three tries in 12 minutes. But Rovers were rewarded with a

20-metre solo try from Misi Taulapapa.

McNally sealed the win with his second try and Jukes added: “We feel like we are in a better place than last year.”

New Rovers coach John Duffy said: “Our errors and back-to-back penalties did not help us.”