The penultimate match of the Magic Weekend is a battle between a side who are struggling in the Super League table in the Leigh Centurions and one who are outperforming expectations in the Salford Red Devils.
Salford won the previous meeting between these two and if they can find a win in this one they will move up to second in the table. A Leigh win could see them move up a spot to tenth and looking up a bit more.
Leigh Centurions
This is the debut at the Magic Weekend for the Leigh Centurions and I’m sure that will ensure that they are right up for this match even though they head into it off the back of eight successive defeats. In fairness to them although they have lost those matches only once have they been beaten by more than 20pts so they are not getting blown away.
One concern for the Centurions has to be in their attack which hasn’t really got into any of their recent matches and if they are going to turn things around then they need to play more of the game in the opposition half of the field. If they can do that they aren’t the worst team in the world defensively so can win matches.
Salford Red Devils
I think most people expected an improvement from Salford heading into the season because they should never have had to rely on the Million Pound Match to guarantee their Super League survival but I’m not sure even the biggest Salford fan will have expected what their side have produced so far this term.
They have looked very assured with the ball in hand and very tough to break down when they don’t have the ball and that is never a bad combination. They get plenty of go forward from their pack and their halves and back line are more than capable of delivering the goods off the back of that which is the key to success.
Team News
Matty Fleming has joined on loan from St Helens and he is expected to get a debut for the Centurions in this match. Cory Paterson looks like returning to the squad too. Micky Higham and Jamie Acton miss out through injury and suspension respectively.
Salford could give a debut to their new signing James Hasson whie Mark Flanagan returns from injury. Justin Carney remains on the sidelines as he continues his suspension.
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Betting
When the Magic Weekend schedule came out I thought this might be the tightest of the matches and while Salford Red Devils have gone into the game in exceptional form I still fancy this might be a tight one.
Leigh might not be winning many matches but they are rarely exposed defensively, they have just found the going tough in the forward areas of the field and I guess that is likely to continue here. Salford showed in the cup last week that they can tough it out when they need to and it could be that they need to do that here so it might well be that 47.5pts is out of reach in this one.
Tips
Back Under 47.5pts for a 4/10 stake at 1.83 with Coral
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