Leigh East top of the tree for Christmas (From Leigh Journal)

Leigh East top of the tree for Christmas

5:38pm Thursday 17th December 2009 in

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Hull Dockers 16 LeighEast 21

LEIGH East face fierce rivals Leigh Miners this weekend, in a ‘derby’ game in which the bragging rights of the town will be up for grabs.

East host Miners at Ledgard Avenue, kick off 2.30pm, looking to continue the winning ways that have sent them to the top of the National Conference League table.

Despite making hard work of the opening phase at Hull on Saturday, East settled into a good pattern that tested the resolute Dockers defence.

But it was the home team that scored first, second row Kallum Birch reaching out to touch down.

Leigh responded well, with man-of-the-match Middle-hurst powering through from 10 metres out.

The visitors stepped up the pressure but the home side responded in kind and were only broken on 37 minutes when Ryan Peters turned the ball inside for Carl Redford to cross the line and make the half-time score 8-12.

A bizarre decision on 55 minutes gave Dockers some hope when East appealed for ripping and saw the decision go the other way.

Dockers’ scrum half tapped the penalty quickly and sent winger Robbie Smith on a 70-metre sprint to the try line.

East held firm and despite exchanging penalties late on the result never looked in doubt thanks to some strong defence.