Leigh Miners Rangers 12 Sheffield Eagles 14: LEIGH Miners were within 10 minutes of again becoming Challenge Cup giant-killers when Sheffield Eagles snatched an unlikely victory at a rain-soaked Hilton Park.

The 1998 Challenge Cup winners looked on their way out of the 2004 competition but eventually the Miners were made to pay for a string of missed opportunities.

Disappointed Miners coach Warren Ayres said: "We should have had them dead and buried in the first 20 minutes. We made the chances, but couldn't finish.

"They were National League Two leaders last year and Grand Finalists. To think we nearly beat them makes me very proud."

Eagles coach Mark Aston summed it all up in just a few words. "How we won this one I don't know," he said. "The best side lost."

Man of the match Tommy Goulden, stand-off Alan Reddicliffe and centre Chris Humphries made the breaks that should have brought scores that might have given the Miners the cushion there were need later on.

Andy Poynter and Greg Hurst both saved the Eagles early on and Humphries, Darren Pilkington and Shaun Phoenix all went agonisingly close.

When the breakthrough came it went to the Eagles, Gavin Brown cleverly sending Simon Morton in for a try.

But not long afterwards the Miners were back on level terms when Humphries hacked the ball on for a touchdown converted by Dave Radley.

The Eagles dominated at the start of the second half but it was the Miners who hit the front when Goulden broke down the left to put Humphries away. His inside ball found Reddicliffe and he finished from 30 metres. Radley converted.

Brown slotted a crucial penalty on the hour as the eagles pressed for victory. The Miners' heroic defence finally cracked 10 minutes from time when Brown slide in directly from a play the ball and then added a pressure conversion.