This tricky fixture brought another victory for a confident Heysham Atoms. A strong wind blew down the ground and the Atoms were asked to play into it but the forwards responded well to the challenge..
An Atoms feed at the scrum was moved away from the base by loose forward Andy Aldren. Centre Matt Craven came inside and was able to break through the cover with some neat footwork to score and make Garnett's conversion a formality.
Crosfield's lively back division came to life and asked a few questions of the Atoms defence. Some good defence from Liam Hall prevented a certain try but Crosfields' strong running centre went outside his marker and scored wide on the right.
This pressure yielded more points and Crosfields' centre proved to be the cutting edge, again forcing his way over in similar fashion to his first score. This was the last period of sustained pressure but it had the Atoms trailing 8-6.
The Atoms needed this wake-up call and they began to steady their way back into the game. The forwards drove hard up the middle and Dave McVernon found a gap and finished off in style.
Centre Rory Batson was making good yards every time he was in possession and he carved open the Crosfields' defence.
Walker and Pinner continued the move before Hall crashed onto a short pass to score.Garnett had just enough time to add the extras, giving the Atoms a 16-8 half-time lead.
The Atoms could feel confident turning round with a strong wind at their backs knowing that an improved kicking game would increase the territorial advantage.
With only five minutes played, McVernon scored his second with a spectacular 80-yard break to put a bit of distance between the two sides.
Helliwellthen drew a penalty in front of the sticks and Garnett took the two points.
Crosfields made an excellent score and the Atoms had to tighten up and this they did, giving Crosfields no more opportunities.
The versatile Ollie Austin came onto the wing and showed a couple of flashes of his undoubted talent.
An attack down the right seemed to have lost its momentum until second-rower Rob Shaw provided the cutting edge, scoring his second try of the season.
Garnett was again on target, taking the Atoms into an unassailable lead of 28-12.
The kicking game improved no end with the conditions and led to Garnett chasing through to score.

Crosfields 12 - Heysham Atoms 34

On Saturday Heysham travelled to Warrington with confidence sky high and sitting pretty at the top of the league. The opposition, Crosfields, are one of the most well respected sides in the country whose clubhouse boasts the jerseys of many former players who have gone onto greater things in the Superleague.

With this in mind and with the sight of the well built Crosfields forwards trotting out of the clubhouse, there was little chance of the Atoms taking their opposition lightly despite their lowly league position.

The Atoms started the match up the hill and against the wind, knowing a reasonable first half performance against the elements would strike a huge psychological blow against their opponents at half time.

The initial defensive set of six saw the Atoms admirably cope with the best that Crosfields could throw at them, and in the return set hard work by the Atoms pack achieved a good field position from which to launch an attack.

Matt Craven, who featured strongly last week but was kept from going over the whitewash, took a short pass and powered through two tackles to score the initial points from 20 yards out.

Crosfields were not about to submit to the Atoms so soon in the game and minutes later were in a position to launch an attack of their own.

Crosfield's best player was their powerful right centre and he slipped through an Alex Batson tackle to reply for the hosts. The failed conversion ensured the Atoms remained in the lead at 6-4, a lead that they were never to relinquish.

Batson's early slip was merely a blip in an excellent performance from the Atom's left centre. Keeping his opposite number firmly under wraps for the remainder of the game, Batson went onto dominate him in attack also with numerous weaving, stepping, jinxing breaks upfield.

A healthy half time lead was extended further after the break when Liam Hall finished off a piece of Champagne rugby from the Atoms which saw the ball pass through 7 pairs of hands before the Atoms prop latched onto the final pass from Helme to crash over the line.

McVernon, his partner in the front row was not to be outdone and in the next set of six he bust the line inside his own 20m line and outpaced the opposition over the remaining 80 to score a outstanding individual try, no mean feat for a prop forward!

Garnett, whose almost flawless kicking had been a feature throughout, was next onto the scoresheet with a move down the right flank as the Atoms began to run riot against a team who were starting to put more and more effort into fighting than into rugby.

The scoring was completed by Rob Shaw who latched onto a speculative pass from Birkett to beat the remaining defenders to register his 2nd try of the season.

This 34-12 win keep the Atoms at the top of the league and sets up an intriguing top of the table clash with Leigh Miners Rangers next week at Trimpell (2.30pm KO)

Atoms: A Garnett, S Jackson, M Craven, R Batson, N Walker, H Pinner, R Birkett, D McVernon, G Sykes, L Hall, G Helliwell (capt), R Shaw, A Aldren. Reps: M MacIntyre, O Austin, L Harvey, C Connaughton.
Man of the Match: Dave McVernon.

Cadishead Rhinos 37 Pilkingtons Recs A 6

Wigan Keepers 18 Ince Rose Bridge 22

Eccleston Lions 26 Leigh East 34

Blackbrook A 26 Waterhead 8

Crosfields 12 Heysham Atoms 34

Leigh MR 22 Widnes Tigers 16

Another good performance away from home on Saturday was just the confidence booster we need this week as we face unbeaten Leigh Miners at Trimpel,this is a game we really need to win to put us firmly at the top of the table.

Saturday we knew would be a tricky fixture as any game away in Warrington would be,but our forwards really laid the platform with prop forwards Dave McVernon and Liam Hall both dominating the middle of the park and with Captain Gav Helliwell and Andy Aldren always on hand to do the hard graft we looked by far the better pack.With regulars Keith Hartlebury,Scott Telford and Gav Winder missing we had to play a few players out of position but they all filled in well and didn't let us down.Matt Craven continued his rich vain of form and scored his first try in the Atoms colours after a good inside pass from Andy "Pinner" Helme, and I have no doubt there will be a lot more to come.Once again Andy Garnet was on form with the boot and also continued his try scoring run with grabbing a length of the field kick and chase.

The biggest headache this week will be mine with having all my players fit and wanting to play it will be difficult to pick 17 without upsetting a few,but hopefully the lads not selected will react in the best way possible by fighting for their places in the forthcoming weeks.

Dave Crow