Heysham Atoms 4 - Hindley (Wigan) 30

The Atoms suffered a North West Counties Division Two last week after conceding 24 points in the first half.
This week they produced another Jekyll and Hyde performance conceding 24 points in the second half, against unbeaten league leaders Hindley from Wigan.
Over the years Hindley have been noted for their uncompromising defence and the intimidating arena that they play at, but this year they have added a powerful attacking policy that has seen them take 11 victories from 11 games.
The Atoms started brightly on a tight, heavy pitch and looked in good nick after last week's good showing in the second half.
Both sides favoured the no nonsense approach early on with the completion rates of both sides very good.
Kicks are only as good as the chasers make them, and Hindley were always very keen in this department.
One such kick was well claimed by Craig Goodfellow on the Atoms right wing.
When he looked as if he had got away from the first line of defence he was ankle tapped and the ball came loose in the collision with the ground.
Hindley got the scrum feed and took play to the Atoms left wing.
On the second tackle Hindley's scrum-half danced his way through the Atoms line for the opening score, which was converted.
Steadily the Atoms forward began to make some progress with Ryan Weed well to fore.
He made a determined charge to the line only to be held up inches short.
Hooker Andy Aldren nipped round the blind side, drew the cover and fed Andy Downey who crashed over the line.
Unfortunately the extras were missed but at this stage the Atoms were completing well enough to give Hindley a fright.
Simon Brooks has been the Atoms 'Mr Versatile' over the past couple of seasons and he took over the role of stand off after the late withdrawal of Mike Hope.
He slotted in well combining well with scrum-half Keith Hartlebury.
The Atoms had plenty of possession but the best defence in the league gave the Atoms' ball players very little time and space.
The Atoms could also feel that their depth of running left a lot to be desired, with too many times the receiver was getting man and ball without any real go forward.
At 6-4 down at the break the Atoms could feel quietly confident about the second half but what ensued was nothing to be proud of.
The confidence seemed to drain from the Atoms as Hindley posted two early tries in the opening minutes of the second half.
From here on in it was mostly one way traffic with the Atoms finding it difficult to come to terms with the footwork and support play especially of Hindley's No 6.
He was at the hub of all Hindley's attacks as the Wigan team grew in stature and put a stranglehold on possession of the ball.
The only three Atoms players to come out of the game with any real credit were the back rowers of Brian Cambidge,. Steve Bowman and Rob Shaw.
They tirelessly took the ball up when in possession, made their tackles when required and chased every lost cause to prevent more scores.
It was the men around them that under achieved which was a huge disappointment for all concerned.
A Hindley purple patch in the last quarter saw them on the score sheet three more times with their prop forwards piercing more and more holes in a tired looking Atoms defence.
The last five minutes saw the Atoms throwing the ball about and keeping the ball alive, with Andy Aldren and Steve Bowman going very close.
The question must be what happened in the other 35 minutes of the half?

ATOMS: Richardson, Goodfellow, Downey, Allan, Pike, Brooks, Hartlebury, McVernon, Aldren, Weed R, Bowman, Shaw, Cambidge. Res: Doherty, Birkitt, Weed S, Simpson.