LEIGH Miners Rangers saw their automatic promotion hopes crash as a disastrous final seven weeks of the season cost them dear.

Four defeats in their final six games saw a resurgent Lock Lane inexorably overhaul the Leigh side as a five point advantage was overturned with Miners’ 38-16 loss to buoyant Pilkingtons and Lane’s win at Skirlaugh to send Miners into the play-offs. The Leigh side still of course can secure an immediate return to the top division but they will need to rediscover their scintillating mid-season form – and quickly – if they are to make it through via this most challenging of routes. That path commences on Saturday as Featherstone Lions arrive at Twist Lane (2.30pm) with the winners heading to Widnes to face either Pilks or Milford in the promotion final.

Miners made a positive opening to this match against the division’s in-form side Pilks, opening a 12-4 lead with tries from Brad Hargreaves and Deacon Monks, both goaled by Jack Reynolds, but a strong second quarter saw Pilks turn the game on its head, capitalising on Reynolds’ sin-binning to storm into a 26-12 lead. Late in the half Adam Thomason cut through to reduce arrears and Miners opened the second half strongly with a fine Reynolds break taking play to the Pilks line but in what became a recurring theme Miners squandered the promising position with some erratic handling to let Pilks off the hook.

By contrast the hosts were clinical and they recorded another fine win to confirm fourth place and condemn Miners to the play-off lottery with two more tries to seal a commanding victory.

The under-18s lost their league decider to Blackbrook but can reflect on a tremendous season whilst the women won at St Pats and now host Oulton this Sunday 2pm.