Rugby League: Backroom front men to lead Leigh

THE backroom staff at Leigh are to be given the initial responsibility for the team following the resignation of the manager Jim Crellin.

Crellin, whose previous coaching posts include Blackpool, Halifax and Swinton, quit on Sunday after only three games, complaining of interference from the board. His assistant, Ray Clark, left with him and the club's Academy coach, Dennis Ramsdale, and statistician, Stan Wall, will be in charge of preparations for Sunday's match against Castleford.

'They will be given a chance to show that they can build on the team spirit we already have here,' John Stringer, the Leigh general manager, said.

The signs are, however, that Ramsdale, the former Wigan winger, and Wall, a retired grade one referee will eventually step aside for an outside appointment. The club may well look for an Australian player-coach, as they still have a place available on their import quota even after allowing for the arrival yesterday of Scott Mahon, the Parramatta centre.

Leigh have been drawn at home to Oldham in the second round of the Lancashire Cup. That tie and the meeting between Salford and Workington Town will be played next Wednesday as planned, but the games involving Wigan and Widnes have been postponed for a week because they are playing each other in the televised Friday night match next week.

The Wakefield versus St Helens league match scheduled for Friday 25 September will be replaced by Leeds versus Warrington, as Saints now meet Widnes in the pick of the second-round ties two days earlier.

Castleford and Hull must wait at least another week for the arrival of their new signings from the Australian club, St George, who beat Newcastle 3-2 in the Sydney play- offs and now meet Illawarra for the right to play the Brisbane Broncos in the Grand Final on 27 September. Castleford are waiting for stand-off, Peter Coyne, while scrum-half, Ivan Henjak, is destined for Hull.

Steve Martin will arrive this week to start his 12-month contract with Featherstone.

LANCASHIRE CUP Second round: Leigh v Oldham, Salford v Workington (both 23 September); Swinton v Wigan, St Helens v Widnes (both 30 September).

YORKSHIRE CUP Second round: Wakefield Trinity v Keighley; Hull v Leeds; Bradford Northern v Sheffield Eagles; Featherstone Rovers v Huddersfield. (all ties 23 September).