Honours were even at the end of a pulsating and highly entertaining game as Rangers squandered a 16-0 first half lead, and with Blackbrook beating Askam 38-14 the St Helens based side leapfrogged above Underbank into fourth place on points difference on the final league table.
As a result Underbank will travel to Blackbrook for the play-off semi-final in two weeks on October 17th.
Underbank totally dominated the opening 15 minutes of this dramatic encounter scoring two unanswered tries as they ripped open the Leigh defence with ease.
Courtney Allette, returning to the side on the left wing in place of the injured Will England, opened the scoring after just five minutes as Underbank executed a scrum move to perfection with full back chiming into the line, drawing-in two defenders and handing to Allette who stepped inside his opposite to score.
Luke Pogson narrowly missed the conversion, but he was successful after nine minutes following centre Alex Chatterton’s 23rd try of the season after he received a great short pass from lock forward Kris Harrop and burst past three defenders for a rousing score.
Rangers then started to make errors forcing passes in traffic when there was no need and consequently had to defend six consecutive sets in their own 10 metre area.
However, they withstood the Leigh onslaught, and then hit the home side with a sucker punch on 25minutes as Harrop created space with a lovely inside pass for Richard Knight to race through.
Knight sucked in the Leigh full back and released Chatterton on a 30 metre sprint to grab his second on the day.
Joel Croker added the extras and Underbank were deservedly 16-0 to the good.
However, the earlier mistakes again materialised and this time Leigh East made Rangers pay as their hooker Martin Roden forced his way over on 38 minutes, and with Adam Holland converting the score the sides went to the half time sheds with score line 16-6 in Underbank’s favour.
Rangers didn’t start the second half well and the hosts took full advantage as right centre Jacob Sinclair forced his way over the try line within three minutes of the restart.
Holland again and Easts were only four points behind all of a sudden.
Pogson steadied Underbank nerves on 47 minutes as he slotted a penalty kick to make the lead six points, but then Holland stepped his way through on 59 minutes from 40 metres for a great individual score that he also converted to lock the scores at 18 across.
Rangers were next on the board as Knight and Chatterton released Johnathan Tinker on a touchline sprint.
From the resulting play the ball Knight beautifully weighted a chip kick to the posts and veteran centre Paul Reilly collected to score.
Pogson sent Underbank back into a six point lead as he added the conversion with 12 minutes remaining.
Rangers then enjoyed a short period of pressure in the Leigh quarter and Pogson attempted to seal the game with six minutes left on the clock, but his field goal attempt drifted agonisingly wide of the right upright.
Rangers couldn’t find a way to kill the game and Leigh East levelled the scores once more with just two minutes on the clock as Sinclair grabbed his second and Holland kicked a superb touchline conversion to level matters and bring to the end a great game of tough and uncompromising yet highly skillful rugby league.
