The Atoms played their final home game of the season as a double header, combining a league fixture and North Lancs Shield semi-final with the winner taking all.

There was some serious twists and turns along the way with the score of 22-22 at full-time meaning the league game finished as a draw. But a period of 20 minutes extra-time was played to determine who would progress to the final of the cup.

Unfortunately in this period the Atoms ran out of steam as fatigue took its toll after fighting back from a 22-8 deficit to bring it back to draw 22-22 with the last play of the 80 minutes.

The Atoms had a chance to secure victory but the conversion slid agonisingly across the front of the posts.

The Atoms were able to pick their strongest side of the season with a healthy blend of exciting youngsters alongside some seasoned performers.

In the league fixture at Blackpool, it was the Atoms who roared into a 19-0 first half lead. The league leaders reversed this on Saturday storming into 16-0 lead by the half hour.

All three Scorpions' tries were as a direct result of Atoms errors but it showed the quality of opposition that they were up against.

A 40 per cent completion rate in the first period wasn't helping the Atoms' cause as they tried to force one extra pass. This was unfortunate as Guy Richardson and Bryan Cambidge were bringing the ball away with such determination making huge yards with every carry.

In the final 10 minutes of the half, the Atoms began to build some pressure. Liam Hall went close before Lee Harvey was held up over the line.

This swing in momentum built up the confidence, finally the passes began to stick and Scorpions began to creak under the pressure.

A Mark Walker line break took play over halfway. Keith Hartlebury moved the ball out wide, Livingstone swapped passes with Andy Garnett who broke down the left wing. He drew the full-back and passed to Richardson and he had enough pace to escape the cover and bring the Atoms back in the game at 16-6 at the.

The Scorpions pushed themselves further ahead as their stand-off danced around a tired looking Atoms defensive line.

Inspiration was required to change the momentum of the game and this came in the form of a collective lift by the whole team as no-one wanted their season to end on such a dour note.

The tide began to swing as Liam Hall forced his way over from close range. Minutes later he was on the scoresheet again as Hartlebury found him with a cut out pass in the left centre channel. His charge for the line was unstoppable, taking his tally for the season to 22.

There was a belief in the Atoms camp and when young winger Ben Dorrington rounded his opposite number, an upset was now really on the cards. The conversion failed but the Atoms were four points behind with seven minutes to play.

The Atoms threw everything they had into attack, showing good hands and a width to their play.

On the last play of the game, it was Hartlebury who rounded off a fine personal performance, forcing his way through a number of would-be tacklers, bringing the scores level at 22-22, with only the conversion left in the 80 minutes of play.

The drama continued as agonisingly the ball sailed passed the right-hand upright with the two teams sharing the league points even though the Atoms had outscored the league leaders by five tries to four.

The cup entry to the final now had to be decided in extra-time. The short break broke the Atoms momentum and the Scorpions ran in four tries.

Mark Walker fittingly scored for the Atoms, in this period, as his work rate – along with Andy Helme in the tackle count – justified some reward.

Unfortunately that was the last action of a highly successful season for the Atoms but their loyal band of supporters could go away in the knowledge that their team gave everything they had in the contest.

Heysham Atoms: Richardson, Dorrington, B Livingstone, Garnett, Cambidge, Hartlebury, Helme, Hall, Lithgow, Weed, O'Donnell, P Livingstone, Walker. Res: Hesketh, Harvey, Helliwell, McVernon.