NCL: Drighlington 30 Leigh East 18

21 Jul 2019 in News

NCL: Drighlington 30 Leigh East 18 NCL: Drighlington 30 Leigh East 18

East lost further ground on the rest of the top five after falling to defeat at Drighlington. For forty minutes they looked like breaking their duck over the Yorkshire bogey side.

The visitors made the perfect start through two quick play-the-balls. First hooker Andrew Ball ran twenty metres before Adam Holland picked up and ran in from forty metres on the next play. Holland converted to make it 6-0.

That advantage was soon doubled. Home loose forward John Gallagher was sinbinned for dissent and in his absence East moved the ball to their right and James Noon crashed through two tacklers on the line to score. In variable breeze Holland added a good goal.

The hosts hit back with two tries from Callum Reid and Aaron Smith and Mick Sanderson kicked his only goal to close the deficit to 12-10, but East again struck with a well-worked try from Ellis Noon to nudge him back to the top of Easts try charts. 

Holland kicked the conversion against the breeze and East now led 18-10 but as before Drighlington responded before the break.

The second half was pretty close for fifteen minutes before Brad Roden was sinbinned after Leigh East were placed on a team warning. Within five minutes Dan Sanderson had claimed his second try in the corner and Jake Dearden crashed through to give the hosts the lead for the first time on the hour.

Ellis Noon then fell foul of the referee and also found himself sinbinned before veteran centre Gary Smith sliced through for a good try on the left. In the final minute, Drighlington scored their seventh try after the ball was kicked into the corner and Ryan Wilkes won the race. 

Share:

Older Newer