LEIGH Miners Rangers eased through to the second round of the Challenge Cup with this hard-fought 22-10 victory over a battling Oulton Raiders side.

In wet and windy conditions it was a typical winter arm-wrestle of a match but Miners had their match-winners in Jack Reynolds and Josh Ward and impressive debuts from Tom Worthington, Liam Kenyon and Matt McGeown as they picked up their first win in the competition since 2015.

Miners struck first when they patiently probed the Oulton line before Reynolds slipped through two tackles to score a try he converted himself, but Oulton were on level terms when Will Ingleby went over for a converted score. Miners though had regained a six point advantage by the break as Lewis Grimes finished on the overlap at the right corner and a Reynolds penalty had the home side 12-6 ahead at the break.

Oulton hit back again with a similar score to Miners’ second as big centre Adie Holdsworth popped up at the corner to finish off but Miners grew stronger and they wrapped things up with two more tries, firstly as Reynolds again showed his finishing qualities from the centres and then when Miners pressed at the left flank before whipping play infield where McGeown hit the pass like an express train to charge through and conclude the scoring.

They travel to Thatto Heath in round two.