LEIGH EAST ARLFC

Gary Middlehurst capped a tremendous season for Leigh East, winning the Hattons Solicitors National Conference League player of the season, seeing off the challenges of Wigan St.Patrick's Mel Alker and Wath Brow Hornets Dave Pettit. Gary is a former Halton Simms Cross player and won the North West Counties player of the season last year while at Simmies.

A few of our local players and a young referee have recently been representing their country for BARLA Under 19’s and Under 23’s.

In the Under 19’s squad which have won all four games in South Africa were Mark Ballard (Leigh East) and Daniel Jones (Leigh Miners).

Ballard was captain for the first game against South Africa U21 Students, scoring a try and leading the team to a 50-18 win.  Leigh society referee Joe Cobb replacing the South African referee on 58 minutes due to injury.

Jones sat out the opening game but featured in the 76-0 win over South Africa Junior Development, scoring a try and 78-0 victory against South Africa Schools refereed by Joe Cobb, as Ballard missed both due to illness.

Both players were selected for the final match against South Africa Under-21s, once again officiated by Joe Cobb. Mark Ballard returned as captain, scoring a try in the 44-30 victory which saw three red cards, three yellows, 14 tries and, unfortunately, three players carried off inured. While Danny Jones won man of the match for an outstanding display.

The BARLA Great Britain Under 23’s squad including  Andrew Groves, Gavin Hunter (Leigh East) and Leon Brennan (Leigh Miners Rangers), departed for the Ukraine last Wednesday 2^nd June to play Ukraine in the Memory Cup and the Ukraine ‘A’ before returning home in the early hours of Saturday 12th June. Unfortunately Easts half back Ryan Peters was forced to miss the tour through illness.

The Memory Cup competition played on Friday has teams playing 15 minute halves and saw BARLA winning 48-6 against the Ukraine Students all three Leigh lads bagging a try each, followed by a 32-6 win over the Ukraine , which left the decider against Moscow Vereya. BARLA had two tries disallowed before Eduard Ososkov dropped a goal to give the Moscow team a 1-0 victory.

The final match is against Ukraine ‘A’ on Tuesday and the lads will be looking to make amends for the disappointment of that loss.