Heysham Atoms 34 - Leigh East 22
North West Counties Division Four

Before Saturday's league game Leigh East possessed the best attack in the league, while the Atoms had conceded fewer points than anyone else.

Something had to give and what ensued was an outstanding end to end game, which was refereed in a sympathetic manner as both sides tried to play a high tempo game. Ultimately it was the Atoms pack which held all the answers, led superbly by Dave McVernon and Liam Hall.
For the first time this season the Atoms coach, Dave Crow, felt he was able to field his strongest 17 players and was confident of victory on their own patch. Preparation had been good, focussing on an improved work load from everyone involved.
Leigh's attacking style couldn't be underestimated and the Atoms were soon to find out how potent this weapon was.
On the Atoms second possession play was taken up the left hand side of the pitch. A pass was intercepted and East's centre sprinted 30 yards to take his side into a shock 4-0 lead.
Before the Atoms had time to regroup, the same player carved open the defence for a second time, showing good pace, running across and round the would-be tacklers.
At 8-0 down, with less than 10 minutes played, the signs did not look favourable for the Heysham side.
Slowly they settled into their pattern and didn't panic, relying on the yardage getters in the forwards. A sharp passing move along the three-quarter line almost got the Atoms off the mark when a overhead pass from Andy Garnett to Olly Austin was adjudged to have been a forward pass. The intensity of the Atoms attacks took a notch up as hooker Andy Aldren began to take control of the ruck area.
Helliwell's power in the contact situation always got the Atoms extra yardage and he was at the forefront of the next Atoms attack. Hall picked up a drive 10 yards from the line and no-one was going to deny him his third try of the season as he barged over close to the posts.
The reliable Garnett picked up the extras with the boot.
The confidence of the Heysham side was growing by the minute and a well placed up and under from scrum half Hartlebury was claimed by the in-form winger Gavin Winder who just had to place the ball over the line.
The purple patch for the Atoms continued as Garnett stroked over a penalty, wiping out the early deficit and taking a deserved four-point lead.
The Atoms came under some real pressure, conceding a goal line drop-out as Leigh laid siege to the Atoms line.
A cut out pass and a failure of the Atoms sliding defence gave Leigh's winger an opportunity in the corner. He took the chance well, bringing the scores level at 12-12 as the break approached.
The Atoms decided to go on an all-out offensive in the second period, aiming to take the game by the scruff of the neck. The backs had mainly been employed as scooping away and buying their hard working forwards some time. But a change of tack meant that they were going to see more of the ball as an attacking force taking advantage of the platform set up by the forwards.
The quicksilver Matt Craven bolstered the back division, forming a dangerous partnership with Rory Batson.
McVernon was making yards with every drive. He charged down the middle of the park and when his progress seemed to have been halted, he somehow got the ball out of the back door to a grateful Hartlebury. He trotted over the line unopposed.
The Atoms needed to dominate and take the game away from the Leigh outfit and loose forward Scott Telford provided this with a well deserved try. He cut a great line of running, being found well by a neat Andy Helme pass.
As in previous games this season, the Atoms decided to ease off instead of hammering the nail in the coffin. Ground was conceded by some silly penalties and taken full advantage of by a rejuvenated Leigh team.
They did not need a second invitation, scoring under the posts after the Atoms defenders had not dealt with a bobbling ball.
As in the first period, one score was quickly followed by another which brought Leigh to within two points.
The Atoms had worked very hard for the lead and were in no mood to give it up. A crude challenge on Austin put Leigh down to 12 men for a 10-minute period. This was just the incentive the Atoms needed, Lee Harvey had been itching to get into the action and when he did he proved what a valuable player he is to the team.
He powered his way into the action giving the Atoms attack a great target.
Second-rower Russ Birkett was having a quiet game by his high standards but, as with all good strike players, he was able to be in the right place at the right time. His support play was rewarded, finishing off another good handling move.
The Atoms now sensed victory and showed good composure, pressing Leigh to defend close to their line.
McVernon, not for the first time, created space for himself coming onto a short pass from Helme. Birkett popped up at his shoulder, beating the cover for his 11th try of the season.
Garnet landed his fifth kick, giving the Atoms a 12-point lead for the second time in the game.
This was how it finished, meaning that the two league points took the Atoms above Leigh East in the league into a creditable third position.

* THIS Saturday the Atoms are away at Eccleston Lions. Kick-off is 2pm.

Atoms: R Raines, G Winder, A Garnett, R Batson, O Austin, A Helme, K Hartlebury, D McVernon, A Aldren, L Hall, R Birkett, G Helliwell, S Telford. Res: S Jackson, E Pyrah, L Harvey, M Craven