It was a thrilling match on a night to remember for the amateur club as they battled toe to toe with Whitehaven in a match that was tantalisingly poised at 20-22 with six munutes remaining before the professionals managed to find the extra gear and close out the game. Before then Miners had taken the game to the Cumbrians, relishing their evening in the limelight to produce some of their best rugby of the season and richly entertain the crowd at Leigh Sports Village Stadium which included Andy Burnham MP and Lord Smith of Leigh.

Miners were still without John Woods, Ross Bradley and Martin Wilson whilst Adam Thomason was cup-tied but Aaron Gorton returned to the side at loose-forward with Kieran Dainty switching to centre and Tom Bradbury coming in on the wing. Whitehaven had undergone something of a Night of the Long Knives following their disappointing Northern Rail Cup campaign with a host of changes from their previous outing, seeing the likes of former Miners' youth products Rob Jackson and Mick Govin missing the game whilst another old boy Andy Gorski was injured. Instead young hopefuls Scott George, Reece Fox and Danny Barker were given their chance whilst prop David Ford returned on the bench from injury.

Miners roared out of the blocks to produce some sublime rugby, making all the early running in the first quarter. They took the lead when a fine break by Daryl Kay and Danny Jones set the position for Scott O'Brien to dummy and force his way over the line, Bradbury goaling. Haven were rocking and O'Brien almost broke away again but was crudely blocked by Howard Hill as he chased his own kick, Bradbury kicking the resultant penalty. The black and amber tide was relentless at this stage and soon Haven were split wide open again, Liam Coleman with the break down the right, Gorton and Jonny Youds supporting and Ryan Smith on hand to finish off for a sparkling score and Bradbury's goal making it 14-0. With Jones and Kay at the fore Miners almost scored again, Gorton breaking but the final pass to O'Brien going to ground. However as the half wore on Haven began to claw their way back, and some scrambling defence was needed to keep the Cumbrians out as Jones somehow forced the ball out of Richard Farrer's hands. Finally Miners broke, the cut out pass from Carl Rudd sending Craig Calvert in at the corner, and they built rapidly on their breakthrough, Graeme Mattinson diving over from acting half and managing to ground the ball despite being tackled over the line, Rudd goaling. Two tries in the final minutes of the half had the visitors ahead, first when substitute hooker Marc Jackson displayed quick thinking and quicker feet to scamper through a stretched defence from ten metres out, then when the strong-running side kept the ball alive and Fox finished off from Carl Sice's break, Rudd's two goals putting his side 22-14 ahead.

Perhaps there was the fear that Miners' challenge was extinguished from this point, but the opposite was the case. Ten minutes into the second half and the game was on again, Youds with the silkiest of side-steps to leave his opposite number Sice statuesque and Smith on hand to finish off under the posts. Haven were wilting under this unexpected fightback and Miners had two glorious chances that could have swung the game completely, first when another Youds' break ended with Jones unable to keep possession under pressure and then most agonisingly when Leon Brennan tore clear from deep inside his own half but the final pass to Smith cost momentum and the Cumbrians managed to scramble back. With six minutes to go there were only two points in the game but Haven had begun to step up the pressure as Miners began to weary. The killer blow landed when Hill charged in from close range for a six pointer and two tries in stoppage time embellished the scoreline in a manner neither side merited, first when the outstanding Sice supported expertly to dive over the line and then when the ball was moved left for Dexter Miller to bounce his way over the line.

Miners - Jonny Youds, Daryl Flannery, Kieran Dainty, Leon Brennan, Tom Bradbury, Scott O'Brien, Ryan Smith, Dean Balmer, Danny Jones, Daryl Kay, Liam Coleman, Luke Murfin, Aaron Gorton Subs - Jimmy Muir, Tom Dawson, Tom Eckersley, Danny Jackson

Whitehaven - Carl Sice, Steve Dawes, Reece Fox, Derry Eilbeck, Craig Calvert, Carl Rudd, Scott George, Ryan McDonald, Graeme Mattinson, Howard Hill, Spencer Miller, Dexter Miller, Danny Barker Subs - Marc Jackson, Richard Farrer, Andy Thornley, David Ford

Referee - Warren Turley