BLACKBURN were looking to banish their league blues with a quarter-final win over lower division Leigh in the Lancashire Intermediate Cup - but they only just sneaked through.

Blackburn were without fly-half Luke Elston who broke his thumb in the previous week's defeat to Penrith and were giving a debut at scrum-half to newcomer Ben Ayrton.

It was Leigh who dominated in the earlier exchanges of the game, showing the energy and willingness expected of a side with nothing to lose in a game of this sorts.

They took the lead after 10 minutes with a penalty from fly-half David Bate and there looked to be a cup shock on the cards on the 25th minute mark.

Leigh no.8 Mark Eccles seized upon a gap in the Burn back line and broke through to go over with Bate adding the extra two points from the boot.

The game was looking bleak for Blackburn but they showed good spirit and forced over the line on the stroke of half-time.

Burn's maul was impressive as ever and the ball broke to hooker Gareth Dyer a few yards out and he took his opportunity, powering over beneath the posts.

Winger Gareth Evans added the conversion and Blackburn were given a lifeline going into the break.

That hard work however was almost undone by Blackburn being penalised for answering back to the referee and a Leigh penalty was moved forward an extra 10 yards. It was still a big ask but impressive full back Carl Bailey showed no hesitation in rifling over the penalty form just inside the Burn half.

Blackburn started positively in the second period and Evans deposited a penalty to reduce the deficit to three points but then had lock Shaid Khan sin-binned for allegedly back chatting to the referee.

That decision looked to be key as Leigh went up and added another 3 points from the boot of Bate.

With the re-introduction of Khan, Burn gave one last push for the line and Mat Spence finally found the corner for a Burn put-in from the line-out.

The ball was moved across more centrally and after an almighty effort, the Blackburn maul went under the posts with flanker Dominic Moon the man with the try.

All that was left was for Gareth Evans to despatch the extra two and spare Burn's blushes, and also send them onto face Oldham in the semi-final.

BLACKBURN...17

LEIGH...16