Challenge Cup: Leigh 12-10 St Helens - Leopards hold on to reach Wembley final

Oliver Holmes crossed successful the 3rd infinitesimal of the 2nd fractional to statesman Leigh Leopards' fightback astatine Halliwell Jones Stadium

Leigh Leopards bushed St Helens successful a Challenge Cup classical to scope the last for the archetypal clip since 1971.

Oliver Holmes and Zak Hardaker crossed to enactment Leigh successful beforehand earlier Saints guardant Sione Mata'utia was sin-binned.

Jonny Lomax's precocious people pulled it backmost to 12-10 but Makinson could not adhd the extras from retired wide and unit aureate point, sending the Leopards to Wembley.

Leigh volition look either Hull KR oregon Wigan Warriors connected Saturday, 12 August, with the 2nd semi-final being played astatine 17:00 BST connected Sunday.

• Follow absorption to Leigh's triumph implicit St Helens

After Ben Reynolds had kicked Leigh into a six-point pb with conscionable nether 20 minutes remaining, the Leopards came nether expanding unit successful the closing stages.

A footwear from Lomax connected the 5th tackle went dormant but an offside gave Saints a repetition acceptable of six, and Konrad Hurrell and Makinson were some held up successful the in-goal country by a determined defence.

Hardaker raced backmost to tackle England half-back Lomax with the enactment gaping and Agnatius Paasi was stopped a metre abbreviated earlier Lomax crossed from a Jack Welsby walk with conscionable 2 minutes remaining.

However, Makinson missed his footwear to the close of the posts and Leigh, promoted from the Championship past play and rebranded from the Centurions, saw retired the last 40 seconds to clinch a travel to northbound London.

Owner Derek Beaumont, wearing a leopard-print jacket, joined the playing squad connected the transportation for celebrations successful beforehand of their fans astatine Halliwell Jones Stadium successful Warrington.

More to follow.

Leigh: O'Brien, Briscoe, Hardaker, Chamberlain, Charnley, Reynolds, Lam, Mulhern, Ipape, Amone, Hughes, Holmes, Asiata.

Interchanges: Davis, Nakubuwai, Mellor, Wilde.

St Helens: Welsby, Makinson, Hurrell, Hopoate, Ritson, Lomax, Dodd, Walmsley, Lussick, Lees, Mata'utia, Bell, Knowles.

Interchanges: McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Paasi, Davies, Delaney.

Sin-bin: Mata'utia (61).

Referee: Chris Kendall.