Heysham Atoms 22, Leigh East 28
November 3, 2007

Heysham at last got a long awaited home fixture after travelling all around the northwest in their opening 7 fixtures. The Atoms faced a tough prospect with the in form Leigh East side travelling to Trimpell rugby league pitch.

The game started with two cautious packs of forwards testing each other out with powerful sets of six. At the end of one of these sets the Leigh five eighths chipped the ball over the on coming defensive line, the ball took a wicked bounce and touched an off side Atoms player to give the Leigh side a penalty just in side the half way line. From the resulting kick the ball was spun wide to the left wing where the winger squeezed in the corner for the first try of the game.

History seemed to repeat it's self with in the next 5 minutes, the atoms gave away another penalty and from the resulting tap the ball was kept alive and Leigh once again scored and this time the conversion was successful to give them a 10-0 lead.

The Atoms really need to get the next score and the team were lifted when Guy Richardson who is in outstanding form this season made a 50 yard break right through the centre of the field, from the next play the ball Sean Weed placed a neat kick in to the dead ball area to force a drop out by Leigh. After a couple of drives by the forwards the ball was spun to the right where Weed fed Keith Hartlebury who through a quality pass out to Gregg Sykes who crashed on to the ball to score out wide to take the score to 10-4. 

But once again the Atoms let themselves down with unforced errors and penalties, and the pattern repeated its self again when from a penalty for a high tackle the travelling side put up a high ball, the centre took the ball from the air and fed the winger with a blatant forward pass to score once again to make it 14-4.Heysham once again didn't learn and from another penalty given away for interference the Leigh side strolled in to take their half time lead to 20 points to 4.

After a severe talking to at half time by coaching duo Saddler and Crow the Atoms came out ready to take the game by the scruff of the neck, unfortunately more a less straight away they gave away another penalty which once again led to a unconverted try.

After this the Atoms came to life and started to play some good rugby. Rob Shaw this season has really found another gear and really got the Atoms going forward for their first try in the second half. Rob made a telling drive which got the Atoms on a roll as they took the ball close to the line, from a quick play the ball Billy Livingstone dived out of dummy half to score and with his own kick being successful this took the score to 10-24.

Leigh East started to tire as the big Atoms pack got on a roll. Man of the match Mark Walker once again made a break which pushed the home side deep into the visitors half, the ball was spun through a couple of sets of hands till it arrived in to a rampaging Liam Hall who crashed over close to the uprights, Livingstone once again converted to bring the score back to 16-24.

Sean Weed took charge with his excellent kicking game forcing Leigh to drop out on numerous times from underneath their sticks. Heyhsam continued to pile the pressure and went very close a few times until once again the big lump Hall smashed his way over again. Livingstone again added the extra points which pulled the score back to 22-24 in favour of the Leigh side.

The Atoms now threw their all in trying to snatch this game, but with some unusual referring decisions and the bounce of the ball going against the Atoms they just couldn't get that telling score and with only minutes remaining Leigh made a break against the run of play to snatch the final try of the game.

This was an excellent advert for rugby league and it can only be a matter of time until the Atoms string a few wins together.

Pilkingtons Recs A 22 Leigh East 44

Bamber Bridge 18 Blackpool Scorpions 22

Leigh Miners 24 Dalton 25

Ince Rose Bridge 42 Hindpool 18

Glazebury 39 Waterhead 28

West Bank Swans 40 Heysham Atoms 24

Heysham Atoms 22 Leigh East 28