LEIGH MR's soft core was again exposed at the weekend as they crashed 24-15 at Mayfield.

Yet again the Twist Lane side contrived to commit suicide as, from a commanding 14-0 lead, they plunged to new depths of despair.

Initially, there was no stopping Miners as second row John Maxwell blasted in for two quickfire tries, first from a defence-splitting pass by stand-off Mike Warburton, then after centres Gary Allen and Neil McColloch had created the opening.

Winston Sarsfield banged over three goals, including a penalty, and all was right with the world.

More good, if not points, came with props Mark Edwards and Graham Hindley storming onto short balls, hooker Ian Sanderson bouncing out of tackles, winger Carl Jones going in at the corner flag, only to see his TD ruled out.

Mayfield finally hit back, but a Sarsfield drop restored the balance MR's way.

At 15-10 Miners still had the initiative. But it all changed in the second half as the Rochdale side, growing in confidence, wrested it from them and forged clear.

Local scores from the Burtonwood Brewery NWC ARL...Leigh Holden Cup, Round 1: Leigh Royal Oak 31 Leigh Harriers 20; Division One: Parkside Golborne 26 Ulverston 24; Division Three: Saddleworth 6 Hindley 36; Division Four: Widnes Albion 18 Leigh East 0; Alliance Division One: Leigh Miners 18 Langworthy 0; Hindley 18 Heysham Atoms 0; Parkside Golborne 10 Wigan St Cuthberts 14.

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