Ideal Isberg 8
Leigh Miners 20 LEIGH Miners Rangers produced a stirring performance to collect a thoroughly deserved win in mudbath conditions at County Road.
In the end, the victory was built on the back of a tremendous work ethic in defence coupled with some flashes of brilliance despite the handling difficulties.
In the recent years the Miners have tended to suffer from hangovers after cup weekends, but they backed up the Dewsbury game with one of their best displays in recent memory.
Despite trailing to an early Terry Smirk penalty, the Miners took the they were never to relinquish on five minutes when Roy Stott's break set up the position for birthday boy Steve Flannery to scramble in at the right corner.
Midway through the half the lively Stott started the move that led to the second try. He popped a pass out of a two-man tackle, the ball travelling through four pairs of hands before Matt Irwin scorched 40 metres for a try converted by Flannery. Penalties either side of half time by Smirk narrowed the gap to 10-8. Ideal dominated possession in the second half but apart from player/coach Smirk, they looked bereft of ideas.
But take nothing away from the Miners defence. Twice the survived 10 minute spells with 12 men to keep Ideal tryless at home for the first time in two years. Alan Coleman, Lee Lomax and Jon Light led the tackling that visibly blunted the Humbersiders.
On the hour Miners effectively sealed the win as Lomax scrambled over for a six-pointer, but the icing on the cake was left to Steve Clarke. he bettered his score at Dewsbury last week by scorching the length of the pitch for 20-8.
Tomorrow the Miners begin their quest for National Cup glory when they visit 1999 beaten finalists Wath Brow Hornets.
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