LEIGH EAST 50 THORNHILL TROJANS 0

 

By Dave Parkinson

 

Leigh East continued their great run of results with a big win over fellow promotion chasers Thornhill Trojans. In total East ran in nine tries in a confident perfomance that sends notice to the rest of the league.

 

Thornhill threw a lot at their hosts early on but too much dropped ball was to haunt the visitors and spur East onto bigger and better things.

 

Stand-off Ihaka Watene was in brilliant form for Leigh East and scored the first of his two tries on five minutes after linking with Tai Tapou from a scrum. The number six then rounded a defender and hit the throttle to sail home with some to spare for Tom Worthington to add the first of seven goals.

 

Thornhill created two chances in the next five minutes but East held out before striking from distance. Andrew Ball broke from dummy half and just as the defence looked to converge, Pat Grainey supported for a forty metre finish. 

 

The hosts all but secured the points after 19 minutes when Watene and Jordan Swift took the ball down the right for Chris Dootson to score at the corner with Worthington adding a towering conversion from the touchline.

 

Thornhill then had their best spell with second row Jake Wilson to the fore and former Dewsbury and Hunslet pivot Luke Haigh taking some strong carries but East wrestled control back well. Substitute Jay Yarwood was held up over the line and from the next play Worthington's delayed pass found Sam Grainey on a good line and he went over for a try. Although the goal was missed there was still time for Worthington to nudge over a penalty and the hosts led 24-0 at the break.

 

Early in the second half, both sides fell into a scrappy pattern with East handed a team warning by referee Jamie Barr. This saw the hosts refocus as Watene and Worthington sliced through the defence for Sam Grainey to claim his second in support. Worthington was the architect again after 56 minutes when Sam Ratcliffe and Josh Adudwumaa vied for his kick, which broke away from both players into the grateful arms of Curtis Littlewood. Although that try went unconverted, Worthington found his range again on the hour after Tom Fletcher galloped clear following a fine run and offload from Tyron Maki.

 

Liam Morley kicked a 40-20 for the visitors and Thornhill looked like scoring points before Watene intercepted and blazed 70 metres for his second try. There was still time for one more Leigh East try as once more Tai Tapou broke and Littlewood backed up for his second try, Worthington adding his final goal to bring the fifty points up.

 

Leigh East: Adam Holland, Chris Dootson, Josh Swift, Curtis Littlewood, Josh Adudwumaa; Ihaka Watene, Tom Worthington; Adam Wilkes, Andrew Ball, Tom Fletcher, Sam Grainey, Tai Tapou, Pat Grainey. Subs: Jay Yarwood, Lee Rowley, Craig Wingfield, Tyron Mafi.

 

Tries: Watene 2, Sam Grainey 2, Littlewood 2, Dootson 1, Fletcher 1, Pat Grainey 1.

Goals: Worthington 7/10.

 

Thornhill: George Woodcock, Mindaugas Bendikas, Ryan James Fenton, Joss Ratcliffe, Sam Ratcliffe; Liam Morley, Luke Haigh; Lee Smith, Josh Clough, Anthony Harris, George Stott, Jake Wilson, Anthony Broadhead. Subs: Scott Dyson, Jake Hickling, Jordan Clayton, Danny Ratcliffe.