Leigh 38-4 Widnes: Caleb Aekins hat-trick sends Centurions into fifth round – talking points
Caleb Aekins celebrates his first try (Photo: Allan McKenzie / SWpix)
A hat-trick from Caleb Aekins helped Leigh reach the fifth round of the Challenge Cup with an impressive 38-4 win over Widnes.
Nene Macdonald, who is the Championship’s top try scorer, was named in the Leigh 17-man squad but pulled out late on. Luis Roberts took his place.
It was a perfect start for Adrian Lam’s side as they scored two tries in the first 10 minutes thanks to a double from Aekins.
Leigh got a roll on in the first quarter and it was a pass from Sam Stone that sent former Widnes man Ed Chamberlain over. Ben Reynolds converted.
Widnes started to come back into the contest as the game went on. They pulled one back through winger Brad Holroyd on the half hour mark.
The Centurions went down to 12 men for a period late on in the first half when Mark Ioane was sin-binned for slowing the ruck down.
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HT: Leigh Centurions 16-4 Widnes Vikings
Leigh started the second half just as they did in the first by scoring four minutes in. Joe Mellor set up Keanan Brand who went over against his former side.
New Zealand-born full-back Aekins, who is hoping to play for Wales at the World Cup via the family heritage rule, completed his hat-trick in the 54th minute.
Reynolds added a penalty goal on the hour mark to put the game out of reach for Widnes.
Stone capped a fine individual performance when he ran a good line to burst onto a short ball from Mellor.
Leigh turned on the heat in the second half. An acrobatic finish from Australian winger Jy Hitchcox in the corner put Leigh seal a 38-4 win and a place in the next round of the Challenge Cup.
FT: Leigh Centurions 38-4 Widnes Vikings
Leigh: Aekins; Hitchcox, Roberts, Chamberlain, Brand; Reynolds, Mellor; Sidlow, Smith, Amone, Stone, Wardle, Asiata. Subs: Ioane, Hingano, Jones, Ipape.
Tries: Aekins (3), Chamberlain, Brand, Stone, Hitchcox Goals: Reynolds 5
Widnes: Roby; Brookes, Fleming, Tyrer, Holroyd; Smith, Lyons; Dupree, Fozard, Baker, Davies, Wilde, Brown. Subs: Doro, Grady, Lawton, Hulme.
Tries: Holroyd Goals:
Three talking points
Caleb Aekins runs the show
It was a stunning performance from Leigh full-back Aekins. He scored a hat-trick and helped create a couple more of Leigh’s tries.
The 24-year-old has made a great start to his life in England and has the potential to be a fan’s favourite at the Leigh Sports Village.
Although born in New Zealand, Aekins is of Welsh heritage through his mother. He is hoping to play for Wales at this autumn’s World Cup.
Leigh pack too strong
Lam’s pack was simply too big, too fit and too physical for their Widnes counterparts.
Tom Amone, John Asiata and Adam Sidlow really stood up and got a roll on the Vikings, especially in the first half. Widnes struggled to cope with them through the middle.
Australian back-rower Sam Stone has also enjoyed a very good start to the season.
Challenge Cup fifth round draw
Leigh’s win over Widnes has seen them draw Championship rivals Bradford away in in the fifth round. It is the heavyweight tie of the round.
The five winners of the fifth round will meet 11 Super League clubs in the sixth round.
The Challenge Cup fifth round ties will be played on the weekend of March 12-13.
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