Cougars 6, Leigh 16 - NATHAN ANTONIK was carried from the pitch in the second minute of Cougars' top of the table clash with Leigh - and with him went the hopes of moving up to top spot in the league.

His ankle injury was all the more frustrating because it did not come from a crunching tackle or devastating kick.

The Australian dynamo had simply made his first tackle of the match when Mick Slicker raced in to help wrestle his opponent to the ground. As the three tumbled over it was Antonik's ankle which took all the weight, and he couldn't take any further part in the game.

With Martin Wood already out of action following his injury at Widnes the previous week, the club had lost its most potent play-makers just when they were most needed.

Either of the two would have made a tremendous difference, and could have swung the game Keighley's way. They certainly missed Antonik's determination and inventiveness to make the final breakthrough as they pounded the Lancashire side's line.

Despite the crucial injury the game was far from over in the opening minutes - it went right to the wire as the Cougar side produced an heroic performance.

Once again fortunes turned on a handful of incidents which made the difference between victory and defeat.

Jason Lee swooped in for an impressive winger's try, but the pass which put him through was clearly forward, and the score was disallowed. Karl Smith also had a glorious chance, but fumbled the pass as he raced into the Leigh 10 metre area in the second half.

Earlier Jim Leatham also looked certain to score, but a wild pass hit him on the head as he began his burst to the line.

Chances were at a premium all afternoon, and Leigh did just enough in taking their three opportunities to make sure of victory.

But it was Keighley who opened the scoring in the 16th minute. A poor inside pass from Antonik's replacement Craig Murdock was taken by Danny Seal.

It was also read by the Leigh defence, what they hadn't reckoned on was Seal's guile and powerful turn of speed. He hit the tackle spinning - in a style which reminded devoted fans of long time favourite Ian Gatley - and twisted into a gap under the posts.

Graeme Hallas, who had taken over from Wood at stand-off and also pulled on his kicking boots, landed the goal and for a moment it looked as if Cougars could really make an impossible dream come true.

Leigh gradually got on top of the game and two tries gave them the lead at the break.

But there was doubt about John Hamilton's first. He finished off good Leigh pressure by going over from short range but those close to the action thought he didn't ground the ball properly and a video ref would have spotted the error.

Simon Svabic added the extras but was unable to convert from out wide after Simon Baldwin had dummied his way over after Leigh were allowed a three-on-one overlap on their left wing.

Craig Horne, who battled with determination throughout the game, was left stranded as Baldwin strolled home.

The try came in time added on for Antonik's injury and couldn't have come at a worse time. Cougars had been holding the mighty Centurians, but to concede a try just before the break was a devastating blow to morale.

It didn't get much better after the break. Time and time again good opportunities were wasted as the Cougars attack was stifled by the dogged determination of Leigh's defence.

A couple of silly penalties let the pressure off the visitors, and they scored the vital third try in the 50th minute, Baldwin's sweet inside ball which was straight out of the Martin Wood coaching manual, sent Neil Turley racing in on angled burst to the line, Svabic converting.

That looked too much for the Cougars to make up, but they kept the huge crowd on their feet in anticipation.

Leatham looked the man most likely to score with some determined charges at the stubborn defence, but Cougars usually show more flair than that.

Both sides had tries disallowed, but even a great break by James Rushforth came to nothing in the dying seconds. The defence did well to scramble back, but as the Cougars pushed the ball wide Ian Hughes looked certain to score only to be stopped by a brilliant tackle from Mike Watts.

That typified the Cougars frustration and Leigh's defence. But it was clear when Antonik was carried off that it wasn't going to be Keighley's day.

Cougars: Rushforth: Horne, Powell; Hallas, Lee; Smith, Antonik; Slicker, Ramshaw, Boothroyd, Harrison, Hughes, Seal. Subs (all used): Walker, Murdock, Stephenson, Leatham.

Leigh Centurians: Turley; Ingram, anderson, Fairclough, Watts; Svabic, Swann; Leatham, Hamilton, Whittley, Baldwin, Bristow, Morley. Subs (all used): Kendrick, Bradbury, Bretherton, Duffy.