Eagles aim to atone back in the spotlight

It is not often Championship clubs have such high-profile games in quick succession but, after last Friday’s Challenge Cup quarter-final against London Broncos, they are back in the spotlight again this evening.

Sheffield face Leigh Centurions in the second-tier showpiece at Halifax and Aston maintains his side will not suffer any sort of hangover after seeing their Wembley hopes disappear.

The high-flying South Yorkshire club’s 15-match winning run came to an end with a disappointing 29-10 loss against Super League’s bottom side.

It had been hoped the Championship Grand Final winners could cause an upset but were badly let down by some erratic handling.

“We had a tough game and came a little bit unstuck but that will give us a bit more resolve and desire to make sure we get straight back on the horse against Leigh,” said Aston.

“We don’t see it (raising spirits) as a problem. We were disappointed as the players know they were better than what they produced but this is a different kettle of fish now.

“That (London) was a dream and we lived it but it’s been ended and it was time to move on.

“The dream now is to make sure we get some silverware. We’ve never won the Northern Rail Cup so we have to focus on that.”

Aston continued: “Leigh are a quality team with a great English coach in Paul Rowley which is great to see as well.

“We’ve got to be good and a little bit better than versus London. Our completion rate needs to be a lot higher.

“We’ve got to raise the bar and we will do. We’ll be ready to make things right.”

Their opponents, however, are three-times winners of the competition, last prospering under Ian Millward when they defeated Halifax in 2011.

Sheffield won emphatically 40-18 at Leigh in March but Rowley’s side edged into the Championship top-four with Sunday’s 34-22 win at Barrow and trail second-placed Eagles by just six points. Rowley gives fitness tests to Matt Gardner, Steve Maden, Simon Finnigan and Bob Beswick ahead of their fifth final.

The three-times winners prepared with a 34-22 win at Barrow Raiders and Rowley insists his men are ready to cause an upset.

“We’re a club that takes every competition seriously and want to play in big games and big finals,” he said.

“We’re doing well. We like big games, we’re comfortable in big games and feel we know how to win them.”