THE league leaders proved too strong for the youthful Atoms squad in a game played at the new Leigh Sporting Village on a state-of-the-art artificial pitch.

Overall the Atoms' performance was lacklustre compared to last week's victory against Glazebury, but at certain stages during the contest, they competed very well and at one point got the scores back to 22-12 with a quarter of the game remaining.

Unfortunately this consistency was short lived and the expansive style of Leigh East caused them too many problems.

The first period of the game became a 'scrum-fest' as both sides struggled to hold onto possession for any sustained period of time. A forced pass on the second tackle put the Atoms under unnecessary pressure and Leigh used the ball quickly to score the first try.

Individually the Atoms came up with some good tackling with Gary Lithgow, featuring at full-back and showing his versatility, saving a certain try.

Ben Dorrington came up with a big hit but the wave of Leigh East attacks could not be stemmed and a try close to the posts gave the Leigh side a 10-0 lead.

This period of pressure brought another Leigh score as the Atoms couldn't knock over the strong Leigh hooker and he scored his team's third try of the game.

The Atoms had suffered from a lack of territory but a chip and chase from Billy Livingstone forced a goalline drop-out.

Liam Hall went close from a Keith Hartlebury pass before the Atoms were awarded a penalty from five yards out. Mark Walker took the quick tap and forced his way over the line before the defence had regrouped. Livingstone added the extra two points.

The Atoms gave away two needless penalties on the fifth tackle with the second one resulting in an easy two points to make it 16-6 at half-time to Leigh East.

The Atoms had a poor start to the second half and were punished again for indiscipline with a try conceded wide on the Atoms' right.

Strong running from Rob Shaw and Gavin Helliwell lifted the spirits of the Atoms side while Lithgow brought off his second try-saver and Hartlebury claimed a dangerous high ball under the sticks.

Persistent high tackling from Leigh East went unpunished so frustration got the better of the Atoms pack. A round of fisticuffs brought Leigh's centre a deserved 10-minute spell on the sidelines putting his side under pressure.

Mark Walker took full advantage charging down the blindside to go over for his second try of the game.

The Atoms built up a bit of momentum and camped on Leigh's line. Good defence and wrong options prevented a further Atoms score and from here the pendulum swung back to Leigh.

A loose carry from an Atoms forward gifted possession to Easts and a runaway try gave them an easy six points.

Leigh were hammering the Atoms' right defence with a sustained attack and the width of their passing enabled them to cross the 30-point mark.

The lively Josh O'Donnell scored his second try of the season, barging his way over after a series of quick play-the-balls.

The final score of the game inevitably went to Leigh as they took their total past 500 points for the season.

The best players for the Atoms on the day were Hartlebury, Mark Walker and Liam Hall.

Heysham Atoms: Lithgow, Winder, Dorrington, B Livingstone, Helliwell, N Walker, Hartlebury, L Hall, Helme (capt), S Weed, O'Donnell, Hesketh, M Walker. Res: C Hall, Harvey, P Livingstone, Shaw.

* THIS Saturday, the Atoms host Bamber Bridge at Lancaster and Morecambe College. Kick-off 2.30pm, all welcome.