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LEIGH MINERS RANGERS 18 LEIGH EAST 4 Leigh East fell to their first league defeat of the season following an often dour struggle across the canal at Twist Lane. Rarely were East allowed to show their attacking wares as a superb defensive game, allied with a five from five kicking record from Miners kicker Bradbury helped the hosts take out an 18-4 win. East began the game quite brightly with a couple of early penalties putting them at the right end of the ground but Mort was held short of the line and a pass or two did not find the mark. Former East scrum-half Smith, who exerted a strong influence on the game for 55 minutes, had the chance to open the scores but after a break he knocked on. After repelling their borders Leigh East came down the field but an incorrect play-the-ball saw a penalty awarded to Miners Rangers and Bradbury slotted home to put the hosts in front. Easts put an attack together but an offload from Fieldhouse couldn't find winger Groves. At this stage Miners looked the better team with loose hands from Dawson spoiling a near certain try after more sparkling footwork from Smith and when wingman Mark Jones knocked on at the corner you began to feel that if East could put anything meaningful together it might just break the hosts, especially when substitute Eckersley was sinbinned. after 17 minutes. The closest East came was when Fieldhouse cleverly dribbled the ball forward before opposite number Wakefield was in the right place at the right time. The one man advantage was evened up in the 23rd minute when centre Redford was sinbinned and Groves clattered opposite Jones with an excellent tackle. East lacked shape and when O'Brien was caught on the last tackle inside his own forty, that only emphasised the point. That error set the position from where Miners took advantage, the ball being moved left to centre Bradley and the former Wigan Academy centre finished at the corner for Bradbury to tag on the extras. 8-0 was not unsurmountable and good play from East gave Adamson a chance on the last tackle but his chip forward was superbly fielded by Wakefield who seemed to take on half the team to make 30 metres forward. There was more drama as the last play of the first half brought a penalty for Miners. Smith chipped over and East loose forward Middlehurst played at the ball, yet only succeeded in knocking it into the hands if an onrushing Miners player. Only quick reactions in chasing back prevented a try and the teams hit the dressing room at 8-0 to Miners. Although the hosts had the better of the opening phases of play in the second half, it was Leigh East that pulled a try back when rare field position was turned into points and O'Brien skipped and darted forward to the line from close range. Peters missed the conversion and within a couple of minutes 8-4 became 10-4 when Bradbury put over a penalty after an obstruction involving Fieldhouse for East. The visitors thought they had grabbed a try when O'Brien again ducked and dodged his way to the line, but the referee spotted an obstruction in the 58th minute. Miners blanket defence, with the likes of Forber, Balmer and Gorton working hard began to frustrate East and a furtherpenalty from Bradbury made it 12-4 after 64 minutes. Liam Coleman then made all the difference four minutes later breaking the line for debutant Nicholson to go over by the posts for Bradbury to add his fifth goal. East had two further chances to snatch points but Pemberton dropped a difficult offload from Middlehurst before Kilshaw fired an all or nothing pass to the touchjudge. Miners closed the game successfully to win 18-4. MINERS: Wakefield, Bradbury, Humphries, Bradley, Mark Jones; Danny Jones, Smith; Balmer, Gorton, Forber, Wilson, Warhurst, Coleman. Subs: Nicholson, Dawson, Mole, Eckersley. Tries: Bradley, Nicholson Goals: Bradbury 5. EAST: Fieldhouse, Groves, Redford, Woods, Adamson; Peters, O'Brien; Wingfield, Kilshaw, Rowley, Pemberton, Mort, Middlehurst. Subs: Taylor, Walker, Cocka, Stevens. Try: O'Brien.

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