Widnes to test Leigh’s perfect run

Ricky Bibey, Steve Nash and Robbie Hunter-Paul all remain sidelined for Leigh Centurions, but Martin Ridyard is expected to return when the Centurions host Widnes Vikings on Sunday.

Dual registered Tyrone McCarthy will also link up with Leigh, who now boast the only 100 per cent record in the Co-operative Championship.

Centurions’ assistant coach Paul Rowley said: “Last week’s result at Barrow was one of the best I’ve been involved in while coaching at Leigh.

“If we’re going to get beat this season, then the opposition is going to have to be good. Hopefully we’re not going to get out-enthused, and we’ll give our best every week.

“The lads held their nerve when they were behind and did that equally as well when they went in front. We certainly learned a lot about our players.”

On Widnes, Rowley added: “This is as good a derby as we ever get. Our rivalry with Widnes has been brilliant over the last few years, and the fans love it.”

Widnes’ Kurt Haggerty faces around a month on the sidelines after suffering a knee injury in last week’s defeat against Hunslet.

Vikings’ coach Denis Betts said: “We’re just seeing how he responds to treatment, but initially it looks like he’ll be four or five weeks.”

Betts added: “Last week’s result against Hunslet was one of those bumps in the road that some people maybe didn’t see coming.

“If you don’t turn up with the right intensity or attitude then you can lose. You’ve got to give all the credit to the way Hunslet applied themselves.

“I expect us to keep going forward though, even though we’ve hit that bump last week.”