LEIGH'S season has blown up in their faces.

Sunday's shock 29-14 defeat at Keighley saw them crash from first to fourth - and they are now condemned to an almighty scramble for their play-off berth.

"We shot ourselves in the foot," groaned disgruntled coach Ian Millward. "Two wins from our final two games would have left us one victory from the Grand Final - and the luxury of two weekends off.

"We've thrown away our 'Get Out Of Jail' card!"

Barring freak results involving Dewsbury, Hunslet and Widnes, Leigh must beat Swinton on Sunday to claim a sudden death home tie against either Hull KR or Featherstone.

And, if they are to reach the Grand Final, they must do it the hard way. Had they finished top, Leigh would have only needed one win to qualify for the final. Now they need to keep their nerve - and win three successive knockout games.

Leigh's travelling army of fans swelled the crowd to Cougar Park's best of the season. But it was the Keighley youngsters who thrived on it.

They showed a hunger and enthusiasm Leigh could not match. And, to add insult to injury, Leigh lad Christian Tyrer masterminded the win, the clever stand-off creating three tries and popping over two goals and a drop.

Leigh, without Jamie Kennedy in the pack, were out-muscled down the middle and out-played by Tyrer and Nathan Antonik.

Keighley ground out an early lead before Leigh hit the front for the only time, full-back Stuart Donlan stepping his way through the defence and the supporting Anthony Murray finishing off under the posts to leave Paul Wingfield a simple kick.

Within minutes Tyrer had his side ahead for a lead they were never to lose, despite faints hopes being raised when Kieron Purtill's long pass sent Ken Kerr in out wide just before the break.

With Tim Street sin-binned for obstruction soon after half-time, Keighley opened up what proved to be a decisive lead.

Leigh made a temporary recovery when Purtill forced his way over, and Andy Fairclough and Kerr went desperately close.

But Keighley defended as though their lives depended on it.

LEIGH: Donlan; Wingfield, Kendrick, Kerr, Ingram; Purtill, Close; Street, Murray, Whittle, Cruickshank, Norman, Fairclough. Subs: Higham, Pucill, Halliwell, Bowker. Attendance: 2,498.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.