Not even the most ardent Workington Town expected a win against high-flying Leigh Centurions at Derwent Park.
But the hope was they might at least score a try after going pointless in last week’s home defeat by Widnes.
Leigh, though, proved as solid at the back as they were creative at the other end and ran-out clear 66-0 winners with 11 converted tries.
Town were 36-0 down at half-time and well before the break it had become a question of damage limitation.
Leigh Centurions have spent big in their attempts to regain their Super League place at the first time of asking and it was one of their expensive recruits Josh Charnley who gave them the lead.
Charnley, 31, played over 100 times for both Wigan and Warrington, scoring a total of 230 tries in the process. It took him just seven minutes to open his account for Leigh when he finished off with a strong run down the wing and a touchdown in the corner.
Leigh scored six first-half tries, all of them converted by Krisnan Inu, and the tries came at regular intervals.
The second score cane on 14 minutes when a flowing move, left to right, ended with Nene McDonald touching down with Town unable to get across to block his progress.
Ferguson was almost over for the third try on 17 minutes but was ruled to have been held up.
It mattered little for from the following set the ball was worked down the left side and Joe Wardle powered in for the try.
On 24 minutes a class hand-off from Tom Amone paved the way for Ata Hingano to cross the home line with Town unable to do anything about it.
A huge gap appeared in the Town defence on 27 minutes and Hingano simply steamed through it to make the line.
Four minutes before half-time Workington were opened-up far too easily and Caleb Aekins dashed through to score the sixth try.
The interval was only temporary relief for the home side for within two minutes Leigh had scored again as Wardle crossed wide-out for his second try and Inu continued his 100 per cent record from the kicking tee.
In 49 minutes they were in again and this time Edwin Ipape went between two Town players, got round a third and touched down for Inu to convert.
It was looking like a cricket score on 51 minutes when McDonald bagged his second and Inu made it nine from nine with his conversion.
Fortunately there was then the longest period in the game when Leigh did not score, and in fact, Town did enjoy some decent possession in the Centurions half.
The Leigh points famine lasted 19 minutes, which was to Town’s credit, but on 70 minutes McDonald broke through to complete his hat-trick. The 10th try was followed by Inu’s 10th conversion.
Three minutes from the end a smart off-load allowed Amone to crash through the tacklers on the line to score and Inu added the final conversion of the game.
