Leigh East 20 Skirlaugh 28: LEIGH East's dual dreams for the season of being unbeaten at home and meeting professional opposition again in the TXU Energi Challenge Cup were both shattered by Humbersiders Skirlaugh.

Too many times this season East have given the opposition a head start but still managed to snatch victory -- not this time.

Skirlaugh, at one stage 16-0 up, held on for a third round place and perhaps a plum draw.

East's only consolation is that they helped confirm this game's billing as the match of the day. It was a great spectacle worthy of their third and fourth placings in the Conference Premier Division.

At the final whistle both sides had five tries apiece only goal kicking scrum-half and Man of the Match Colin Brown separated the two sides.

But what really cost East this match was lack of concentration, presenting Skirlaugh with easy scoring chances, and basic errors which cost possession and saw two disallowed tries.

Skirlaugh winger Thacker scored twice in the first 10 minutes, full back Wiles added a try and Brown two goals to give them a 16-0 lead on 22 minutes. Then a Fletcher break and Gunning's long pass put Ian Lewis in at the corner but a Brown penalty meant it was 18-4 at half-time.

Hard working prop Lee Rowley finished off East's best move so far with a 47th minute try but a Batty try and Brown goal again increased Skirlaugh's lead to 16 points.

Substitute Ian Hudspith added a new dimension to East's attack. His kick through which was superbly taken by John Woods for a try in the corner. Redford added two more tries but interspersed between them was a breakaway by Thacker which virtually sealed East's fate.

On Saturday East are at home to Woolston (k.o. 2 pm).