Leigh blown away at Aspatria.

A slightly depleted Leigh squad made the long and slow journey north, to Cumbria yesterday, to face their long-term adversaries, Aspatria.

The weather forecast was for very strong winds and rain but that wasn’t the only storm they had to face, especially without three of their big hitters in the forwards –Liku, Boyle and Philbin – and their very influential Captain, Rob Drake, in the backs.

Aspatria judged and played the conditions excellently to emerge as very worthy winners but a couple of injuries sustained during the game, together with a yellow card, certainly didn’t help Leigh’s cause. Aspatria took a very early lead, through an unconverted try wide out on the right, which they soon added to through a penalty on ten minutes.

Leigh, however, picked themselves up well and gallantly worked their way down to the Aspatria end where, after a series of three scrums close to the line, Charlie Wood busted his way through the Aspatria defensive line to dot the ball down under the sticks, in the fifteenth minute for an excellent individual effort. Young Matty Rudd stepped up to add the extras. Aspatria 8 Leigh 7.

Aspatria soon regrouped and played the conditions well by keeping the ball tight and close to their chests. This produced the required results and they crashed over, from close range, for three more unconverted tries before the break to take the sides off with Aspatria leading by twenty-three points to seven.

Leigh emerged strongly at the start of the second half and seemed to have settled on a game plan which involved keeping the ball tight. They were quickly rewarded for this strategy when following a good drive by Jack Burdon, Marcus Morris-Williams showed his silky skills to dummy his way over, under the Aspatria uprights, to narrow the deficit. Matty Rudd again stepped up to add the extra points.

Things were looking promising for Leigh at this stage and the loyal band of travelling supporters had high hopes of a comeback but Aspatria had other ideas.

They completely took Leigh by surprise in the fiftieth minute when a lovely, flowing attack down their right wing, involving three players, culminated in an excellent try, from seventy metres out, which went unconverted.

Leigh were then dealt a hammer blow, when Jonny Drake had to leave the pitch injured and another player was awarded a yellow card.

In this final period, Aspatria applied even more pressure and were awarded a penalty try, followed by a final, converted try in the dying minutes, resulting from a misunderstanding in the Leigh defence, which gave them an easy finish under the Leigh posts.

Final Score Aspatria 42 Leigh 14.

A tough day at the Office with Jack Burdon emerging as Man of the Match. The highlight of a disappointing day was the trip back on the Coach which was certainly enjoyed by all.

Next week Leigh entertain fifth placed Anselmians, who sit one place below them and only five points behind them in the League, at Hand Lane. K.O. 2.15 p.m.