LEIGH Miners Rangers earned a place in the Division One promotion Grand Final with this deserved win over Featherstone Lions.

The home side put two weeks of frustration behind them with a blistering first half showing which opened up a 32-4 interval lead and although the Lions responded valiantly after the interval realistically the game had been put to bed by half time as Miners now look ahead to the final and Milford Marlins on Saturday 6th October.

Miners opened with intent but Featherstone drew first blood as winger Jack Ellam went over on the blindside to put his team ahead.

Nothing daunted Miners responded strongly with their punishing defence neutralising the robust Featherstone pack whilst their expansive play repeatedly opened the visitors down both flanks.

The home side took a lead they wouldn’t relinquish when some fine attacking play saw Adam Thomason step back inside the defence to score and the floodgates swiftly opened. Deacon Monks showed his pace to leave his opposite number treading water as Miners went 10-4 ahead and then the attack switched to the opposite flank as Todd Fenlon showed great presence of mind to dribble a loose pass over the line and drop on the ball for another try. Owen Johnson took advantage of a napping defence to dive in from acting half from close range as Miners turned the screw and with Featherstone out on the ropes and the home side wishing the half wouldn’t end two further tries before the break had Miners through to the final.

First Thomason got his second as Miners scored from a scrum and then Jack Reynolds sliced through a flapping defence to score a try to go with his eventual five goals.

Featherstone regrouped and the third quarter was scoreless as the Lions salvaged some pride, and then the visitors briefly threatened to do more than that as they scored three quickfire tries to move within two scores of their hosts. Ellam scored his second with a cute dummy before Ian Jackson scored twice in almost as many minutes as he cut through from close and then backed up a strong break by Danny Gilbert. Miners were unnerved but steadied the ship when Craig Ashall dropped a goal and then signed off with another try as Joe Connor stormed over from close range.

Miners now face Milford in the Grand Final at Featherstone Rovers on Saturday 6th October with a high noon kick off. The club are running a supporters coach and anyone interested in travelling should call into the club to book a place. This Sunday 30th the women’s team round off their league campaign with a home tie against Barrow, 2pm kick off.