DARREN Abram still believes he is the man to steer Leigh Centurions into Super League.

Abram has come out fighting after spending 24 hours considering his future as the rugby league club's head coach in the wake of last Sunday's hammering by lowly Halifax.

"I'm staying and will see the job through," he said.

Abram spent much of Monday in clear-the-air talks with the Hilton Park board. He later met the players and announced that he would not be resigning.

"I was encouraged with what the board had to say and it was good the clear the air. I now feel I have their full backing," he said.

"The meeting with the players also went well and I had a lot of positive feedback.

"A lot of the senior players rang me on Sunday night offering their support and I also had encouraging phone calls from other coaches."

I was also pleased with the response I got when the team arrived back at the Mick Martyn bar after the Halifax game.

"I think it's now time to draw a line under the events of last weekend and re-focus on what we're aiming for.

"I still believe that this team can go on and win a place in Super League but all of us, players and coaches, have to re-double our efforts. I felt that there was complacency creeping into things. Individual preparation and attitudes at training wasn't what it should have been and that was starting to translate itself on the pitch.

"Hopefully all that's behind us now and we can kick on and achieve our goal together."

Steve Blakeley, Leigh's executive football director said: "We had a very frank and open discussion with Darren. We are pleased that he is staying. This is the business end of the season and our goals are still in our own hands. Darren is the person to get us there.

"We have a strong and talented squad of players and we are totally focused in getting this club in to the elite league. We may have had one or two grumblings - these have now been ironed out and we are ready to get back on track."

But whether Tommy Martyn will be on the pitch to help Leigh's quest is open to doubt.

X-rays have cleared him of a broken arm but there is some tissue damage around old injuries.

"The doctor has told Tommy to think about his future and I think he'll take a couple of weeks to do that," Abram said. "He's going to talk things over with his family and then make a decision on whether he plays again."

Martyn joins a long list of casualties who will miss Sunday's crucial home game against Hull KR where a win is vital if they are to overhaul Whitehaven at the top of the table.

Fans will be segregated at Sunday's game with Hull KR fans allocated the Asda end of the ground.

However, Leigh could be boosted by the arrival of an Aussie second rower who is due to fly in this weekend. If Leigh can rush the paperwork through he could sign on a match fee basis only with a view to a contract for next season.

LEIGH'S all-conquering Under 21s team will reach their Grand Final if they beat Huddersfield at Hilton Park in Monday's First Division Qualification Semi-Final.

Leigh, who finished the regular season by dropping just one point, will meet either Salford or Featherstone in a second bite of the cherry should they fail to beat the Giants.

Monday's game kicks off at 2.30pm with admission £5 for adults, all concessions free.