Salford crash to Leigh

Leigh's Dave Whittle is tackled by the Salford defence

Leigh 16-12 Salford

Leigh Centurions caused one of the biggest upsets in Challenge Cup history by beating Super League side Salford in the fourth round at Hilton Park.

Part-timers Leigh, who are undefeated in the Northern Ford Premiership this season, were 12-0 down at half-time but scored three second-half tries to create a huge shock.

Tries from Paul Anderson, Neil Turley and Adam Bristow cancelled out the brace from Salford new boy Warren Jowitt, who was making his debut.

It is only the fifth time - and the first for four years - that a lower league club has beaten opponents from the Super League in the Challenge Cup.

Leigh's triumph is the biggest upset since Keighley defeated the Halifax Blue Sox 21-8 in a fifth round tie in 1997.

We said we were going to go out there and have no regrets. In the second half we just kicked down the field. To be honest Salford looked clueless

  Leigh's Simon Svabic

Salford dominated the opening quarter and Jowitt crashed over in the fifth minute to give the visitors an early lead.

He added a second before the break - both tries were converted by Steve Blakeley.

Leigh began to force their way back into the game midway through the first half with Alan Hadcroft twice going close.

As the heavy pitch began to cut up, the NFP side began to apply the pressure.

Right on half-time, Dave Ingram was denied a try by the video referee but Leigh were unfazed and continued to dominate after the break.

They are used to the pitch and that probably knocked our players back a bit but we have no excuses

  John Harvey, Salford coach

The home side kicked cleverly in the second half and barely conceded possession.

Anderson finished off a sweeping move in the corner after 54 minutes to begin the fightback.

Simon Svabic then created the second against his former club when he kicked into Salford territory and Turley pounced for his 19th try of the season.

Svabic converted and then Bristow gave Leigh a deserved victory when he powered over nine minutes from time.