Salford Red Devils 6 Leigh Leopards 14.

Leigh moved to within 80 minutes of a first Super League Grand Final with a superb second half performance but will hope Josh Charnley can play a part in their bid to reach Old Trafford.

Winger Charnley set Leopards en route to the last four with a record breaking 248th Super League try after 54 minutes.

(Image: Paul Currie/SWpix.com)

Salford old boy Gareth O’Brien extended Leigh’s lead five minutes later with his team’s second touchdown.

But before hooker Edwin Ipape powered over for a game clinching 66th minute try, Charnley-after a lengthy stoppage for treatment-was carried off.

Leigh fans in Salford’s record attendance of 10,867 sang the winger’s name as he was stretchered away for a medical assessment.

Ipape struck almost immediately the game re-started and though Ethan Ryan nicked a late try for Paul Rowley’s hosts, Leigh were on the march to a ground breaking triumph.

Both teams had key players missing from their respective starting line-ups.

Leigh lined up without Kai O’Donnell due to an abdominal problem. Jack Hughes took the Australian’s place in the second row with Zak Hardaker moving onto the bench for his 300th Super League appearance.

Salford dropped former Leigh favourite Ryan Brierley to the bench with Chris Hankinson taking his place at full-back.

Three penalties in the opening six minutes provided Leigh with the game’s first attacking platform.

And there was home consternation when Tim Lafai left Frankie Halton needing treatment but the tackle was cleared after video reviews.

Halton though left the field soon after for a head assessment injury-which he later failed-in Salford’s turn to test the visitors’ defence.

Leigh fell behind 13 minutes from half-time. Hankinson’s try was disallowed but an obstruction of ex Leopard Nene Macdonald saw Marc Sneyd kick the Red Devils 2-0 in front.

Salford hunted more points and Darnell McIntosh was marched back behind his own posts by three Devils to force a drop out.

Leigh though survived and were on the attack when a pulsating half came to an end. They began the second period with the same energy and Ricky Leutele and Ipape forced back-to-back drop outs.

But Lachlan Lam’ s loose pass eventually ended Leigh’s territorial advantage. They were back with a vengeance minutes later after Macdonald’s 50-yard break was brought back for a knock on and Leopards’ scrum.

Leigh moved the ball to where Macdonald had walked slowly back into position and Leutele picked out Charnley to dive over in front of the travelling Leigh fans. Charners is now only six behind all-time leader Ryan Hall.

Five minutes later Leigh moved closer to the semi-finals with O’Brien’s try. Oliver Partington slipped trying to tackle Ipape on halfway and the hooker sprinted upfield before off-loading to the supporting O’Brien. Matt Moylan kicked the first of two goals.

Then came Charnley’s game ending incident to take the gloss of an otherwise brilliant new chapter in Leigh history.

(Image: Paul Currie/SWpix.com)

Teams: Salford: Hankinson; Ryan, Macdonald, Lafai, Cross; Nikorima, Sneyd; Singleton, Mellor, Dudson, Stone, Watkins, Partington; replacements: Brierley, Wright, Shorrocks, Lewis.

Tries: Ryan (77).

Goals: Sneyd 1/2.

Leigh: Moylan; McIntosh, Hanley, Leutele, Charnley; O’Brien, Lam; Amone, Ipape, Mulhern, Halton, Hughes, Asiata; replacements: Hardaker, Trout, Dwyer, Pene.

Tries: Charnley (54), O’Brien (59), Ipape (66).

Goals: Moylan 1/2.

Referee: Jack Smith.

Half-time: 2-0.

Attendance:10,867.