Leigh Miners Rangers 23, Leigh East 16

LEIGH Miners Rangers are top dogs of local amateur rugby league following their play-off victory over the arch-rivals from across town.

The Miners have beaten East three times this season but if the Grasmere Street side continues to improve, their day will soon come.

The two leg-weary sides still produced some quality rugby but it was the Miners who kept their composure to book a place in the play-off Elimination Final.

Two midweek tussles had taken their toll but for long periods it was East who held the advantage only to be stopped by some quality defending.

John Gunning and his young apprentice Danny Kilshaw were in impressive form, prop Mick Whiteside worked tirelessly and Lee Penkywicz's two tries showed what a threat he was.

But it was two inspired substitutions by Miners coach Warren Ayres that swung the match their way. Mick Warburton and Lee Lomax both played major roles as the Miners finished strongly.

The Miners had missed one early chance created by the powerful running of loose-forward Tommy Goulding before East showed them how to finish as Penkywicz took Gunning's long pass to slice through for a try goaled by Dave Radley.

First touch

Radley missed a penalty and John Woods was sin-binned for a trip but with Warburton's first touch he sent Goulding steaming through a a try that Simon Hartley goaled. A minute before half time Chris Lee arced his way over to give the Miners a 10-6 half time lead.

The Miners were really in the driving seat soon after the break when winger Craig Graham showed real pace and class to finish a move created by Lee and Mark Sarsfield. Hartley's goal made it 16-6.

But East blasted back three minutes later when Graham failed to take Gunning's angled bomb and Penkywicz grabbed his second. When Kilshaw and Gunning combined to get Dave Ellison in for a try that Radley goaled, the match was all-square at 16-16.

The introduction of Lomax 15 minutes from time proved crucial. With his first touch of the ball he nipped in for a try after Craig Wilson had made the opening.

Hartley added the extras and just before the end Warburton made sure with a field goal.

Now the Miners will visit Oulton on Saturday with a place in the Grand Final at stake.