East book home play-off with win (From Leigh Journal)

Leigh East 28 Wath Brow 22

1:04pm Thursday 10th November 2011 in Sport

EAST booked a play-offs spot at home against Wigan St Pats on Saturday, kick off 2.30pm, in the NCL interim competition with a hard-fought victory against Wath Brow Hornets.

Three of the youngsters who travelled to Egremont the previous week were rewarded with inclusion in the squad, Andrew Ball, Sam Grainey and Robbie Smythe.

Second team captain Mark Starkie was also called in and former Centurions academy player Ryan O’Toole made his East first-team debut.

East opened the scoring within the first five minutes. Steve Ormersher broke from half way and slipped the ball to full back Mark Kay as he was going to ground.

A short ball from Kay found under 18s hooker Nicky Ratcliffe in support, who managed to kick through for the try line as he was tackled. Centre Gavin Hunter shot through to collect and ground the ball.

Minutes later Hunter crossed again and the conversion from Adam Holland gave East a 10-0 lead.

Wath Brow responded with two tries to take a two-point advantage.

East regained the lead when Ormersher, playing his final game for East, used his size and power to blast through three would-be tacklers for a true forwards try, Holland landing the conversion for a 16-12 lead.

Former Whitehaven and Cook Islands half back Leroy Joe somehow managed to slip the ball out of a tackle for another Wath Brow try to put them 18-16 ahead going into the break.

As the hour mark came up Hunter collected a short ball from Danny Kilshaw and shot through to score his hat-trick try, with Holland’s conversion taking East four points clear.

With 10 minutes to go the Cumbrians had got themselves back on level terms.

The game was put to bed when Troy Brophy cut back inside off Kilshaw to score the match winner in the final minute, Holland slotting the conversion.