Wigan Keepers Bulldogs 16 - Heysham Atoms 28

Tries: Russell Birkett 3, Keith Hartlebury, Rob Shaw
Goals: Andy Garnet (4)

Another good victory for the Atoms away at a well drilled Wigan side.
For the second week running the atoms started really well, chasing the kick off and hitting the Wigan side hard making them spill the ball early in the tackle count, from the resulting scrum man of the match Dave McVernon hit the ball up turned in the tackle and slipped a good pass to the supporting Russell Birkett who dived over close to the post for the first try of the game, Andy Garnett followed up with the conversion to put the Atoms 6-0 up after only 5 minutes.

This fired the Wigan side up and the game became very niggly with a lot of punches being thrown in the tackle, but Heysham responded in the best way by playing the better rugby.Heysham had to absorb two sets of six on their own line and on the last tackle after doing all the hard work they committed the cardinal sin and let the dummy half slip under the defense for a converted try to level things up at 6 -6.The Atoms responded well completing their sets of six and putting a good kick and chase game together. Things eventually boiled over with Andy Aldren and the Keepers no9 being sent to the sin bin after trading punches.Heysham attacked the Wigan line once again, on the last Keith Hartlebury chipped the ball through the defensive line, the Keepers full back gathered the ball well and took it back to Keith, who had the presence of mind to strip the ball from him 1 on 1 and dive over the line for a superb individual try which once again was converted by Andy Garnett to put the Atoms 12-6 up.

The Atoms still stuck to their game plan and carried on playing sensible basic rugby, which resulted in the home side making the mistakes. With 30 minutes of the first half gone Heysham were once again on the score sheet with the best try of the game, hard working Matt Craven made a great break and slipped the ball to the very impressive Scott Telford who fooled the Keepers defense with a dummy then side stepped his way close to the line where he drew the last defenders and passed a great ball to the supporting Russell Birkett who used his pace to score in the corner ,Garnett was just wide with the conversion to keep the score at 16-6.Coach Dave Crow would have been happy with that as a half time score but obviously the team wasn't and again it was Russell Birkett who completed his first half hat-trick after his strong running couldn't be handled by the Wigan side and he once again went over under the sticks and with Garney converting this put the Atoms in to a commanding half time lead of 22-6 .

Wigan Keepers came out for the second half really fired up coming down the slope with the wind at their backs and more or less straight from the kick off their big centre broke clear, Gav Helliwell chased back and made a great tackle but the centre slipped the ball out to his supporting wing man, he was in the clear with the line in front of him when from nowhere Gav Winder came across and dragged him to the floor, with the winger not being able to control the ball it was the Atoms who dropped on it, and from the resulting next set of 6 Heysham attacked up the left flank ,Keith Hartlebury took the ball up to the line and passed across two players in to the hands of Rob Shaw who powered his way over the line next to the corner flag . Andy Garnett once again showed what a great asset he is to the team with a fantastic conversion from the touch line to put the Atoms 28-6 up.

Again Wigan Keepers came back strong and tested the Heysham defense at every opportunity and eventually this paid off for them when their winger scored in the corner which was converted to put the Keepers 16 points behind with 20 minutes left.
The Atoms didn't panic and carried on with the game plan, completing their 6 tackles and chasing the kick as a team. The game then became a arm wrestle in the middle of the park with either side not making much ground and the highlight of this was once again their big centre broke clear, but this time he really met his match when Dave McVernon came across the field and absolutely smashed him to the floor with a massive tackle, and everyone was surprised when he managed to get back to his feet.

With only a couple of minutes remaining the Wigan side had the last say when once again the burrowed over close to the line for an unconverted try, this was the last play of the game and the final score finished 28-16 in the Atoms favour.

Next week Heysham take on Cadishead Rhinos at Trimpell with a 2.30 pm kick off.

Atoms: G Winder, S.Jackson, M.Craven, A.Batson, A.Garnett, S.Telford, K.Hartlebury, D.McVernon, A.Aldren, L.Harvey, R.Shaw, L.Hall, R.Birkett
Subs G.Helliwell, O.Austin, C.Connaughton, M.Pike

Eccleston Lions 28 Pilkingtons A 32

Blackbrook A 21 Ince Rose Bridge 18

Leigh East 40 Waterhead 8

Wigan Keepers 16 Heysham Atoms 28

Cadishead Rhinos 20 Widnes Tigers 8

Crosfields 24 Leigh MR 34

Well another really pleasing performance by the Atoms side. We went full of confidence after last weeks win and two really good training sessions and the confidence showed on the field. I thought Dave McVernon, Russell Birkett and Scott Telford were all outstanding but everybody who played played well.

It was a game that was very aggressive but we held our discipline and didn't get drawn in to the game they wanted us to play. We completed our sets of six and also used the conditions well on our kicking game.
Gav Winder has really filled in well at the full back position and Steven Jackson has been rewarded for all his hard work at training with a regular wing spot and these two were both very steady against the big back line of Wigan Keepers.

What was most pleasing on Saturday was the attitude of the team, even when things didn't go with us we stayed positive and always looked in control of the game.

I can see a good centre partnership growing with Matt Craven and Rory Batson who both like to do the hard work and both a very solid in defense, with these two in the centers this releases Andy Garnett to the wing which is by far his best position and always looks dangerous when he gets the ball.

We also gave a run out to debutant Oliver Austin who has been impressive at training and he did nothing wrong on Saturday working very hard in defense and always keen to take the ball up. The lads know they have to perform week in week out as at the moment as we have strength in depth for nearly every position.

Tomorrow we face a tricky match against another big aggressive side Cadishead Rhinos from Salford, this will be at Trimpell 2.30 kick off. If we win this it will put us in a really good position going in to 3 hard fixtures all against well established sides.

I would just like to thank PortriatPools.com for their continued support and sponsorship.