LEIGH Miners Rangers embark kick off their play-off campaign this weekend aiming to take the shortest possible route to the Grand Final showpiece at Widnes in early November.

Having claimed the NCL Premier Division title and Conference Trophy in the last month the top six play-off trophy is now at stake.

Miners host league runners-up Siddal at Twist Lane this Saturday (2.30pm) with the winners going straight through to the final.

It will be an epic clash between the team with the best home record in 2015 against the side with the best away record.

And with Miners edging both league encounters this season the stage is set for another thriller.

Siddal ended the season in red hot form, thrashing nearest league challengers Mayfield to secure second spot.

And with ex-professional Richard Merville the veteran presence in a strong pack and the much-travelled Fijian Taniela Bakoso a robust unit on the wing, they have the quality recruits to complement long-serving talents such as captain Shaun Garrod, star full-back Freddie Walker and the prolific Gareth Blackburn.

No team in the NCL boasts the play-off experience of the men from Chevinedge, three-times Grand Final winners and with two other finals appearances to their credit.

Miners, though, have been imperious on home soil this season and after losing the dead rubber final league game to Thatto Heath will hope to welcome back key performers Darryl Kay, Scott O’Brien, Jimmy Muir and Tommy Parkinson.

The league’s top scorer Brad Hargreaves added two more to his try-scoring tally at Thatto and, having claimed a hat-trick on Siddal’s last visit, will hope for more points on Saturday.

In the other semi-final, Mayfield host Wath Brow, with the winners of that tie travelling to the losers of the Miners/Siddal game in a week’s time.

Miners' Alliance team concluded their league season with a 28-16 win over fourth-placed Bank Quay but missed out on promotion from the North West Men's League Division Two to local rivals Golborne by a single point.