Carlsberg-Tetley Challenge

Leigh East 36 Hunslet Warriors 14

LEIGH East retained the Grainey Trophy with what was an ultimately comfortable victory over Hunslet Warriors.

In the end it was a blockbusting opening eight minutes, and then a one-sided 15 minutes after half time, that sank the battling Warriors.

East saved their best form for the final with an opening flurry that left Hunslet stunned.

Paul Hayes opened the scoring, burrowing over from dummy half and lively full-back darren Hall added the first of an eventual hat-trick with the Hunslet defence all at sea.

Tony Gredecki, hugely impressive at stand-off, kicked the first of four goals. Hunslet battled back resolutely, Jason Wright stepping over after 20 minutes but when Hall was in support for his second a few moments later, East's 10-point advantage was restored.

Then in a frantic two minutes before the break Hunslet first clawed their way back, then threw the match away.

Dean Creasser stormed in on the overlap for 14-8 but a fine flowing move, started by Hall and continued by Mark Kay and Lee Penkywicz finished with Kay burning down the flank to put East 18-8 up at the break.

Any Warriors hopes were totally blown out of the water with a blistering 15 minutes burst from the holders.

Penkywicz was impressive in keeping the ball alive and he laid off for Kay to again show his pace and romp in at the corner, Gredecki converting. Five minutes later Hall raced on to Phil Gunning's perfectly weighted kick over the defence to touchdown under the posts and straight from the kick off Kay raced clear and Penkywicz was in support for a deserved score, Gredecki adding both conversions.

Hunslet seemed dead and buried but showed admirable resolve to battle back and had the consolation of scoring the final points of the match, Jim Baker bravely ploughing through a packed defence and Creasser adding the goal.

But the day belonged to East and if they can reproduce this performance on a regulat basis they will be a real threat in the National Conference Division One this season.