After a close first half, a second half menu of blown chances, forced passes and panic football gave Leigh sufficient possession and momentum to whisk this game away from under Hornets noses.

Five tries in the last half hour knocked the stuffing out of a Hornets side that had stood its ground resolutely for the first fifty minutes. For the first quarter of this game, chances were at a premium and it was Hornets that broke the deadlock. Good approach work through Leigh's left hand channel saw Tommy Goulden release a peach of a delayed pass from the tackle for Andy Gorski to collect and score.

With Hornets looking determined and lucid, little did the regulars imagine that it would be Hornets' last visit to the scoreboard.

Leigh regained their composure, and a huge weaving break through centre field by Halliwell looked to have come to nought as Byron Smith lined him up and showed him the touchline. As it was, Smith's tackle failed to stick, Halliwell stepping through to score.

On Leigh's next foray into Hornets territory, they produced a try that left a most bitter taste in the mouths of the Hornets faithful.

With the ball seemingly worked into a cul-de-sac, Chris Hough somehow scampered into space. With the Hornets defence scrambling and stretched, it was McConnell who backed up to score under a hail of scorn from the main stand.

And so it was at the break: 8-4 to Leigh; nowt in it and, for once, Hornets resembling a side that wanted to play football.

Indeed, Hornets started the second half with real purpose: moving the ball at every opportunity, hitting the gain line with intent and setting up good second phase play. Phil Hasty first took advantage, darting through only for the move to break down; then a bullocking run from Tommy Goulden that included the best hand-off this side of 1979 ending in good smothering defence. Then Wayne Corcoran busting through a hole - opting to pass inside rather than back himself over the last five metres with the defence gathering.

As is often the case, Leigh withstood the early barrage and took the ball downfield where Leroy Rivett - marooned out wide on the last tackle with no options - unleashed a hopeful grubber. The ball ricocheted between shins and, somehow, Rivett found himself in the in goal with the ball without a defender within ten feet. A fortuitous touchdown.

But Hornets showed determination and, once again, set up camp on the Leigh 20 metre line. In the rush to spread the ball, an ambitious pass by Gary Hulse was snaffled by Halliwell who sprinted 80 metres to score. Leigh suddenly 20-4 up and disappearing into the distance.

Hornets continued to work hard at creating second phase play, but increasing desperation and a lack of composure at key times - a panicky Goulden hoist into the sky with tackles remaining, a good example - meant that play broke down without really turning into a threat.

Leigh were happy to seize every opportunity and did so, gleefully; Couturier striding in off a Butterworth pass; Wilson strolling in untouched through a tiring defence; Halliwell again to complete his hat-trick. And a real sickener; Couturier gratefully accepting another interception to stroll 50 metres.

Whether the final score flattered Leigh is open to debate, but they did capitalise on every opportunity handed to them (including the unforgivable misdemeanour of failing to find touch with a penalty - TWICE!).

While this game looks (and, this morning, feels) like a bit of a flogging, there were actually some flickers of hope. The first forty minutes was as good as you could expect - expansive football and solid defence. But as chances were squandered, and play became more hurried, the shape - and the game - became progressively unravelled.

Shaun Gartland was philosophical: "The second half was a massive disappointment... That said, in total, we spilled six or seven chances, bust them four or five times and gave two intercepts away. People mention the word 'positives', but there is no excuse for the number of chances we spurned today."

Having now turned in two great halves of football in the last two games, the challenge is to put two together in the same game - and with games running out, Doncaster next week would be the ideal place to start.