JOSH Charnley scored a debut try as Leigh posted a highest ever away win at Workington Town - 66-0 - to maintain their relentless pace at the top of the Betfred Championship.

The ex-Warrington and Wigan winger notched one of Centurions’ 11 touchdowns with Nene Macdonald grabbing a hat-trick plus doubles for Ata Hingano and Joe Wardle.

Kristian Inu converted all 11 tries as Leigh fell just short of their best ever victory against Town of 70-0 at Hilton Park in 2001.

Hingano’s worrying looking second half ankle injury was the only sour note of a victory in sweltering west Cumbria.

Blake Ferguson, who marked his own Leigh bow with four tries against Chris Thorman’s bottom of the table team last May, switched to centre to accommodate the club’s latest capture.

Charnley’s game started with an early carry but a knock on attempting to field Jamie Doran’s high kick close to his own line.

An offside decision gave Town extra chance to register the game’s first points but Centurions’ miserly defence held firm.

And as Leigh launched their own first attack off the back of a high shot on Joe Mellor, quick ball transference saw Caleb Aekins send over Charnley after five minutes. Inu booted the first of his perfect kicking display.

Edwin Ipape was held up and Macdonald knocked on as Leigh threatened the home line again.

Macdonald’s 17th Championship try wasn’t far away, however, crashing through Alex Young’s tackle after 14 minutes.

The visitors already had a stranglehold on proceedings when Wardle grabbed try number three four minutes later.

Bulldozing breaks by Tom Amone and Ben Nakubuwai provided the openings for Hingano’s three-minute try double to give Leigh a 30-0 lead in just 26 minutes.

By half-time the advantage had stretched to 36-0 with full-back Aekins adding his name to the try list.

Within two minutes of the re-start Wardle notched Leigh’s seventh try with Hingano suffering his game ending injury after a sweet assist.

Ipape skittled the home defence for touch down number eight with Aekins assisting for Macdonald’s second after 51 minutes. In between, Charnley left the field as a precaution.

Leigh had to wait 19 minutes for their 10th try with John Asiata producing a pass for the season contender to send-in Macdonald for the centre’s hat-trick.

Hard working Amone rounded off the whitewash with a deserved try three minutes from time.

Teams Workington: Thomas; Young, Bickerdike, Teare, Clegg; Doran, Walker; Bibby, Henson, Thomson, Fitzsimmons, Steele, Davies; replacements: Simons, Brannan, Riley, Scholey.

Leigh: Aekins; Charnley, Ferguson, Macdonald, Inu; Hingano, Mellor; Nakabuwai, Pape, Amone, Wardle, McDonnell, Asiata; replacements: Smith, Ioane, Jones, Brand.

Tries: Charnley (5), Macdonald (14, 51, 70), Wardle (18 42), Hingano (24, 26), Aekins (36), Ipape (47), Amone (77).

Goals: Inu 11-11.