Featherstone 12-38 Leigh: Centurions make winning start

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Watch highlights of Leigh Centurions' 38-12 win away to Featherstone Rovers in the Super 8s Qualifiers

Josh Drinkwater and Daniel Mortimer pulled the strings as Super League side Leigh defeated Championship Featherstone 38-12 to get their Qualifiers campaign off to a winning start.

Scrum-half Drinkwater scored a try and kicked five goals while Australian team-mate Mortimer touched down and assisted in two more of Centurions' seven tries, including a Gregg McNally double.

Leigh half-back Daniel Mortimer scored a try and created two more

But it was a disappointing start in his first home match in charge of Rovers for coach and Leigh favourite John Duffy.

Fourth in the game's second tier, Featherstone's challenge faded after trailing only by 10 at half-time.

Leigh, 30-18 winners when these two sides met in last season's Middle 8s, made a perfect start. Within six minutes the top-flight outfit led 12-0 largely due to the influence of playmaker Mortimer.

Mitch Brown dived over for Leigh's third try

Signed from Cronulla Sharks just before the end of the regular season, the former NRL Grand Final winner posted the first try for his new club at the fourth time of asking.

In Leigh's next attack, Mortimer's grubber kick was fumbled behind their own line by two Rovers defenders and full-back McNally swooped on the loose ball. Drinkwater added the extras to both and Centurions were off to a flying start.

Rovers, handing a debut to Connor Farrell, were already in danger of being swamped.

Instead, they hit back after 18 minutes when much-travelled prop Darrell Griffin powered over despite the attentions of three defenders. Ian Hardman's goal trimmed Leigh's lead to 12-6.

The visitors responded positively off and Mitch Brown dived over after 24 minutes from McNally's long pass.

Duffy's response was the introduction of all four substitutes and for the rest of the half Rovers probed and hunted for more points.

But the only time they did crack the Leigh line, Luke Briscoe's effort was disallowed for a knock-on by video referee Phil Bentham.

Liam Hood came off the bench to bag a try

Leigh lost centre Samisoni Langi to a match-ending injury and it was soon game over for their second-tier hosts.

Scotland international Liam Hood scooted over from dummy-half after 47 minutes and nine minutes later Mortimer's kick caused confusion behind the home line and Matty Dawson grabbed his 13th try of the campaign.

Leigh were not finished and Drinkwater darted over after a chip ahead rebounded back into his possession.

Rovers, who finished with 12 men after Richard Moore's sin-binning, pulled a try back through Misi Taulapapa. But McNally had the last word as Leigh completed a comfortable win.