Thornhill Trojans 41 Leigh East 6: WHEN Leigh East's bubble finally burst it did so with an almighty bang, sending the previously unbeaten outfit to a heavy defeat against Arriva Trains Conference league leaders Thornhill.

While East have met, and beaten, three good sides in the opening fixtures of the new season, Dewsbury-based Thornhill were a far different proposition.

Easily the best side encountered so far, the Trojans were super fit, pacey, well disciplined in their attacking and defensive play and above all totally committed to the cause. In fact, they looked every inch a side which is already perceiving itself as future champions.

East on the other hand were a mere shadow of their early season selves. They made mistakes, some forced by Thornhill others caused by their own lack of concentration, lost possession in their own '25', missed tackles, left gaps and at times looked over-awed by their opponents.

They still managed to find heroes in props Michael Whiteside and Mark Southworth who gave 100 per cent. Liam Rowson had a good first half, centre Darren Hall was always a threat and Lee Wingfield worked hard in the second row but the efforts of this handful went unrewarded in a side which never had enough possession to work up any kind of momentum.

East probably had little more than ten or fifteen minutes of continuous attacking play throughout the entire match. A spell in the first half almost brought two tries but ended with a penalty which resulted in a try which took Thornhill's already comfortable lead to 18-0. Wingfield and Meadows had a rush of blood and together with Thornhill centre Howley and spent the run up to half time in the sin bin by which time the home side had extended their lead to 25-0.

Warhurst, Southworth and substitutes Marsden, Greenough and Murphy managed to tighten up East's defence in the second half but Thornhill still managed to take their points to 41 before East managed a score. Ironically East's try was the most spectacular of the afternoon - Michael Whiteside the play-maker with his defence scattering run in midfield and Hall the lethal finisher for a try converted by John Woods.

East will probably never play as badly again this season and they have a chance to make rapid amends on Saturday when Featherstone Lions are the visitors to Grasmere Street, kick off 2.30.