LEIGH may be well out of the running in the Division Two promotion race but can still have a big say in the final shake-down.

Unbeaten leaders Hull KR are the visitors to Hilton Park on Sunday knowing that their 20-match winning league run is under threat.

Leigh were the last side to beat Rovers - a sensational 24-0 Challenge Cup away win in February - but either side of that hiccup the Humbersiders have strung together a stunning run of form.

"It's going to be tough at Leigh - it always is," says Rovers coach Steve Crooks. "The players don't need reminding that Leigh are capable of still having a big say in who goes up and who doesn't. They've talked all week of setting the record straight after that Cup defeat."

His Hilton Park counterpart Eric Hughes has only been in charge for four games that have brought two wins and two defeats.

But he saw enough in last Sunday's success over Doncaster to show that perhaps Leigh are turning the corner.

"Sunday's game will be a good yardstick for us. We'll see then if we are making progress," he says.

"I can feel the players are ready for this one. The ones that played in the cup tie at Hull KR know that although Rovers might be the best side in the division, they are quite beatable.

"It's going to take a tremendous effort from my young players but I'm confident that they're in the right frame of mind." Hughes will wait another 24 hours before finalising his team with teenage centre Alan Hadcroft still undergoing treatment on a knee injury. If Hadcroft fails to make it his place will go to David Wright who is back in the squad for the first time this season.

Leigh's line-up is: Lyon; Cheetham, Veikoso, Hadcroft or Wright, Purtill; Mason, Brown; Liku, Quigley, Perigo, Cain, Ball, Daniel. Subs: Ingram, Hill, O'Loughlin, Conway.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.