Leigh East 30

Eccles 14

IT'S been a long time coming but at last there is major silverware on Leigh East's sideboard after the Grasmere Street side clinched the National Conference League First Division championship with Saturday's victory.

It's been a long, arduous journey for East who have struggled and battled to re-build since the heady days of the early 1990's.

The season itself has not been easy as East were made to go right to the wire, leaving it until the final 80 minutes to win the title.

But at the end they won on merit, losing only four league games and drawing two to finish as worthy champions.

One chance

Nerves might well have told as East knew they had just one chance to take the title. Yet there were no signs of edginess, just a calmness and confidence in their own ability - good practice for playing in the amateur game's elite division next season.

East scored five superb tries, all the result of slick handling, quick thinking and good finishing.

The first touchdown came after just three minutes, staring deep in their own half among the forwards and finishing with man of the match John Gunning - who had a direct hand in all five tries - putting the ball into space for Mark Kay to collect and score.

Next it was Darren Hall who finished off under the posts before Gunning scored himself, completing another move over three-quarters of the field. Anthony Gredecki converted all three and added two penalties for good measure and at half time East led 22-0. An uncharacteristic defensive slip let Eccles in for a converted try early in the second half but nothing was going to spoil East's party and John Woods and outstanding forward Robert Bowdler both went on to add further tries.

With the trophy all but won, East relaxed as the game progressed with Eccles scoring two late tries which made victory look a lot less easy than it was.

The victory meant that East's three senior sides, the Conference, NW Counties and Under 18s, have all won their respective championships this season.