Leigh Miners Rangers 12

Castleford Lock Lane 17

IT was a case of lucky for some and unlucky for others as Castleford Lock Lane won through to the fourth round of the GMB Union National Cup with a thrilling win at Twist Lane.

For the Castleford side it was third time lucky as they puit two league defeats by their Conference rivals behind to claim a deserved win.

For the Miners it was unlucky 13 as a 12-match unbeaten streak against amateur opposition came to an abrupt end.

But the Miners can have no complainst as Lock lane always seemed to have the upper hand against a Leigh side struggling to find its form.

Full-back Micky Johnson, halves Dave Probert and Mark Spears and a powerful pack, always ensured it was going to be Lock Lane's day.

The Miners' Dean Balmer and Lee Lomax provided plenty of problems for the Lane defence and Aaron Beath was always busy, but on the day they were always second best.

Struck first

Lock Lane struck first when intense pressure paid off when centre Lee Hughes powering in fort an unimproved try on 13 minutes. The Miners hit back 10 minutes later when Lee Patterson raced half the length of the pitch for a try that Beath goaled.

Five minutes later Lock Lane were in front again as a set move from the base of a scrum saw Probert kick ahead and with the defence caught unaware, Johnson won the race for a touchdown. Probert goaled.

Two minutes from the break Alan Reddicliffe put in the kick that brought Sean Phoenix a try that Beath goaled but it was Lock Lane who were to turn round ahead 14-12 after Hughes blasted through for his second try.

In the second half Wayne Hardy landed a penalty goal on 46 minutes but both sides cancelled each other out until just before the end when, after Miners Tommy Goulden was sent off, Probert landed a field goal to seal Lock Lane's win.