THE dream Grand Final between Leigh and Widnes is a non-starter.

Leigh's shock home defeat in Sunday's Preliminary Semi-Final means that the two NFP heavyweights can now only meet in the Major Semi.

The Centurions must now overcome Featherstone Rovers at Hilton Park next Sunday to set up a Major Semi against Widnes the following week.

It's not quite the route to glory Leigh had planned, but at least they've got a second chance to right Sunday's wrongs.

Oldham came up with the perfect game plan in the greasy conditions - and carried it off to perfection with player-coach Mike Ford the mastermind.

Suffocating defence and a clever kicking game had Leigh on the back foot for long spells. But the Centurions didn't help themselves, turning over far too much possession.

"Our completion rate was only 50 per cent, and you can't expect to win games with stats like that," complained coach Paul Terzis.

"One consolation is that we get another chance and I'm 100 per cent convinced that we'll emerge from this better equipped for the challenges that lie ahead."

The warning signs were there for Leigh early on as they struggled to mount any sort of concerted pressure or pierce a hard-working Oldham defence.

Oldham didn't make much headway either but they went ahead when Tim Street fouled Ford in front of the posts and Pat Rich popped over the penalty. That lead was increased to 3-0 not long afterwards when Keith Brennan popped over a field goal and Leigh went further behind when John Hough burrowed over for a try converted by Rich.

Leigh did pick their game up in the second half and got themselves back into contention when Turley's swirling bomb got the Oldham defence in a tangle, thew full-back following up to collect and hold off Mark Sibson to score out wide.

Simon Svabic was unable to convert and when Hadcroft was penalised for dissent, Rich kicked Oldham into an 11-4 lead.

Leigh hit back three minutes later through Paul Anderson and when John Duffy's bomb produced a try for Michael Watts, Leigh found themselves in front 14-11 before Sibson joined the line, slipped a tackle and shot over at the corner for what proved to be the winner.

Leigh: Turley, Hadcroft, Anderson, Fairclough, Watts; Svabic, Bretherton; Street, Hamilton, Bradbury, Baldwin, Morley, Bristow. Subs: Whittle, Swann, Duffy, Leathem.