LEIGH Easts hopes of National Conference League Trophy success are over for another year following defeat at Hunslet Club Parkside. Although the hosts were a strong outfit, the final score was somewhat harsh against a brave Leigh East that battled all the way but succumbed in the final ten minutes.

It was a slow start for East and they conceded the first try after three minutes thanks to a slick reverse ball that brought a try through the middle for Craig Miles.

Leigh East hit right back through centre Sam Grainey. Curtis Littlewood added the first of four goals but Parkside scored through Patrick Banks for Jamie Field to goal. Wing Daniel Harrison hoisted Hunslets next score.

It was too wide for the conversion but East hit back with a close range try from Adam Holland after the ball was ripped from the grasp of Sam Grainey over the line. Littlewood kept his 100% record with the boot, closing the gap to 12-16.

East winger Josh Adudwadaa was sin binned for preventing a break out, but the visitors took control of the last ten minutes. Dean Balmer and Craig Wingfield chewed up the yards and with extra zip from the play the ball a try soon followed, this time Pat Grainey crashing past a couple of flummoxed defenders and Leigh East led 18-16.

The second half brought back to back tries at the start for Hunslet Club Parkside through Miles and Adam Biscomb, before Andrew Ball spied the smallest of gaps following Wingfield's offload and seared over for an individual score for East to make it 28-24.

The game was on a knife edge. Leigh East looked to be in ascendancy, especially when Josh Beaumont flew seventy metres, but unfortunately for him and Easts, points didn't follow. Hunslet missed a penalty attempt from stand off Martin Hullock after 64 minutes but Field added a penalty with ten minutes remaining. A Hullock drop goal to make it 31-24 to Hunslet before a late scoring burst for the hosts brought tries from loose forward Jamie Bradley, Field and a flowing score in the right corner from Harrison, his second of the game. Field finished with eight goals.