LEIGH are preparing to fill their Hilton Park ground for the mouthwatering showdown with Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Challenge Cup favourites Wigan after the clubs were paired together in the quarter-finals.

Leigh were the last Northern Ford Premiership team to knock out a Super League club and Wigan coach Stuart Raper, who watched his side run in 13 tries in their 72-6 victory over French side Union Treiziste Catalan, is wary of the dangers presented by Paul Terzis' men.

"It's a tie we won't be taking lightly," he said. "They beat Salford last year and fully deserve our respect."

Leigh left it late before securing victory in yesterday's (Sunday) fifth-round tie with Whitehaven.

Late fight-back

The injury-hit Cumbrians, who trailed 10-14 at the interval, looked to have snatched the tie with tries by Leigh Smith and Paul O'Neill in an eight-minute spell late in the game to give their side a 23-14 lead.

Leigh hit back, though, and full-back Neil Turley was the hero, going over for a solo try and then sending prop Paul Norman in for the winner in stoppage time.

"I doubt there's any other team in the Northern Ford Premiership that could have done that," said Terzis, the Leigh coach.

"Whitehaven probably thought they were home and hosed and didn't shut the game down as they should have done. For the guys to have done that in the last five minutes was just outstanding."

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