Leigh East 23

Siddal 11 LEIGH East extended their winning National Conference Division One sequence to four games to stay well in the promotion hunt.

This was East's best performance of the season so far. The tries were perhaps not quite so spectacular and the pace not so evident but teamwork, commitment and hard graft from the forwards laid the platform. And the defence, a headache at times this season, showed considerable improvement.

John Gunning, whose tactical play was superb, was judged man of the match but if awards were given for work-rate and effort it would have gone without question to second rower Mick German. A new recruit this season, German worked tirelessly, constantly running at Siddal and tackling everything that moved.

With less than six minutes of play gone East already had 12 points on the board. East played out their set of six from the kick-off, Siddal winger Stephenson knocked on Gunning's deep kick and Phil Marsden went in at the corner from the resultant scrum. Four minutes later an attacking move ended with Gunning's slipped pass putting Macaree through. Anthony Gredecki converted both tries, including one magnificent touchline effort.

Siddal scored a ninth minute try but than a fumbled towering kick from Gunning saw Tim Fletcher on hand to score East's third touchdown.

Phillips dropped a 35th minute goal but it was quickly cancelled out by Phil Gunning for a half time lead of 17-7.

Ten minutes into the second half Mick Redford scored in the corner, Gredecki adding his second long-range kick. The game's final score came from a 50 metre try from Siddal's ex-pro winger Stephenson.

East will now be in the right spirit for tomorrow's trip to Heworth.

East's second team, whose game was postponed for a second successive week, are at home tomorrow to Bolton Mets.