Heysham Atoms 20-22 Latchford Albion

Heysham Atoms put up a spirited performance at home to the newly promoted Latchford Albion from Warrington on Saturday, despite losing 22-20.
Jamie Cottle scores for the Atoms.Jamie Cottle scores for the Atoms.
Jamie Cottle scores for the Atoms.

The Atoms began the game in a positive manner but a knock on and then a penalty saw them give up easy yards and a soft try was conceded with Latchford not having to work too hard for their 6-0 lead.

It wasn’t long before the Atoms responded in kind as Jack Edmondson crossed the line as his try-scoring form continued.

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The build up was all about quick transference of the ball and some energetic backing up with captain Jamie Cottle heavily involved.

At 6-4 the Atoms continued to try and move around the bigger Latchford pack and Kyel Dempsey ran some strong lines in the right centre position.

Stand-off Stuart Lacey worked his magic close to the line and found Cottle with a pass and he did the rest, pushing the Atoms into a 10-6 lead.

As the half wore on Latchford were awarded a scrum 20 metres out, inexplicably the Atoms allowed the first receiver to throw a dummy and go under the posts for their second try of the match as the visitors went into a 12-10 half-time lead.

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It took the extra yard of pace of Atoms’ full back Jamie Cottle to break the deadlock in the second half to give the Atoms a slender lead at 14-12.

Jake Harrison then failed to find Jack Edmondson, who was steaming up on his outside, and as has been the case all season so far the Atoms paid a heavy price.

The Atoms’ defenders failed to deal with the kick on the last and had to drop out from under their own posts. Latchford took full advantage of their repeat set and scored again to regain the lead.

Billy Livingstone made it an exciting finale as he acrobatically scored with an overhead touch down and then converted his own try to put the Atoms within two points again with three minutes remaining.

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The Atoms gave it one final shot, spreading the ball straight from the kick-off and the chipping and chasing in a mad scramble to retake the lead in the dying embers of the game.

For all this effort nothing came of it and the Warrington outfit held on to take the two points.

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