Heysham Atoms 42-18 Halton Farnworth Hornets

Heysham Atoms ended an eight-match losing stretch at the weekend with a confidence boosting victory against Farnworth from Widnes who had beaten the Atoms four weeks previously.
Jack Edmondson scores for the Atoms. Picture: Tony North.Jack Edmondson scores for the Atoms. Picture: Tony North.
Jack Edmondson scores for the Atoms. Picture: Tony North.

The team performance is always key to victory but individually Jack Edmondson scored a hat-trick of tries and Jake Harrison put in a man-of-the-match performance with two tries and numerous clean breaks down the left edge.

The Atoms made a good start to the game, gaining the upper hand with their middle unit of Josh O’Donnell, Whyke, Dan Helme and Kwiczor dominating.

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Harrison was held up over the line before Cottle found Edmondson with a sharp pass to give the Atoms a 4-0 lead with eight minutes played.

Within 18 minutes, the Atoms had doubled their lead but not before they had to defend their own line with a repeat set from a goal line drop out.

The tigerish defence forced the error and Harrison broke the shackles with a break in the left centre position.

Henry Higginson pushed up in support and was rewarded with a pass and a 40 metre sprint to the line.

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The Atoms’ attack was starting to click on the back of some excellent defensive technique.

A four-man passing play and an inside offload in the tackle from Cottle provided Callum Hall with a try under the posts.

The Atoms made it 18-0 at the break when an accurate Stuart Lacey kick landed in Edmondson’s hands and he scored the second of his three.

This was the best period of 40 minutes the Atoms had put together of the season so far and they were determined not to let this advantage slip.

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They scored first in the second half when scrum half Harrison showed great footwork to break his way through the defence and all the way to the line to score.

The try of the half came next when Lacey found Hall with a wide, looping pass that cut out a few defenders.

Hall broke down the middle of the pitch and timed his pass to perfection as Edmondson beat the cover to the line for his hat-trick try.

O’Donnell was rewarded for his efforts as he scored directly from a penalty showing great determination to force his way through a number of would be tacklers on his way to the try line.

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Harrison bagged himself a brace of tries scoring from first receiver straight from the scrum base.

Farworth found some energy and were able to score their first points with a try down the left before Helme found Jamie Cottle who scored to take the Atoms past 40 points for the first time this season.

Farnworth finished strongly, scoring two tries as it looked as though the Atoms had lost their composure and direction which was the only disappointing part of a much improved performance.