SCOTT Whiteley crossed for a hat-trick of tries as Woolston Rovers turned in a 52-16 home win against East Leeds in National Conference League Division Two.

Billy Sheen's side led 26-6 at the interval but had centre Kieran Moore sent off a minute before the break for punching and Woolston went on to finish the game with 11 men due to a sin-binning late on.

The reduction in numbers had little impact on the second period against the Yorkshiremen, who arrived at Monk Sports with no subs.

“I thought we went well in patches," said Rovers head coach Sheen.

"Games like this can be mentally tricky with East Leeds only coming with 13 players and you have to give them huge credit for doing so.

"You can kind of go away from what you are supposed to do, like playing to points on the field and completing sets well, but we did it quite well even with us going down to 12 men before half time.

"We have a lot to improve on, especially our discipline which I was not happy with at all and has to be better, and hopefully that will come over the next few weeks.”

Rovers got off to the perfect start and took the lead in the opening minute with a try from centre Ben Dixon. Scrum-half Dec Leonard converted and then seven minutes later full-back Theo Holt crossed for a try, with Leonard again converting.

East Leeds got off the mark just before the midway point of the half when loose-forward Arisan Cowie scored. Stand-off Luke Littlewood converted but that seemed to kick Rovers into gear as they soon added tries from second row Scott Whiteley and winger Tom Byrne.

Just after the half hour Rovers loose-forward Harry Files added his name to the scoresheet. Leonard converted.

Three minutes into the second half Whiteley went over for his second try. Leonard converted but then East Leeds pulled a try back when stand-off Adam Gibbons went over. Littlewood added the conversion.

As the game approached the hour mark Rovers ensured there would be no way back for East Leeds when Whiteley completed a fine hat-trick. Leonard converted and that was followed by further tries from prop forward Ryan Palin and a second for Byrne.

Rovers brought up the half century when substitute Sam Wood scored a try that Dixon added on the goal points to but then two minutes from time Rovers were reduced to 11 men when Wood was sin-binned for a late tackle and that allowed East Leeds to score a consolation try when winger Shane Plunkett crossed the whitewash.

Rovers: Theo Holt; Tom Byrne, Kieran Moore, Ben Dixon, Kieran Jones; Aaron Barber, Dec Leonard; Ryan Palin, Ryan Brown, Ryan Hickman, Dan Fearnley, Scott Whiteley, Harry Files. Subs: Sean Boyle, Sam Wood, Craig Lawton, Matt Taylor.

Woolston Rovers will be looking to continue their unbeaten start to the season when they travel to face Dewsbury Celtic in Impact Performance National Conference League Division Two on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Latchford Albion were defeated 30-18 away to current North West Men's League Premier Division champions Orrell.

The hosts opened the scoring on 10 minutes with a converted try, but Albion quickly responded.

Prop forward Jack Sherratt used all his strength to barge his way over near the posts, with Rob Marsh converting.

Ill-discipline crept into Albion's game, and a set restart, quickly followed by a last-tackle penalty gave the hosts the field position they needed to take full advantage and regain the lead.

Again Albion quickly responded, this time debutant Rob Pritchard crossing as he collected Matty Ellis’ neat offload, again Marsh converting.

Shortly before half-time a well-worked Orrell try saw them end the first half in front.

A converted try early in the second half gave the hosts a two-score lead.

The visitors kept their heads up and quickly reduced the deficit when Dec Rourke spotted a gap in the oncoming defence and powered his way over, with Marsh converting.

At this point the game was in the balance at 24-18 and the next try was to be crucial.

Unfortunately for Latchford it was the hosts who came up with the score, securing the victory.

Albion coach Martyn Ellis was pleased with his side's effort and added: “We had a really good go. On another day the little things could have gone our way and we would have come back with the win, but there were so many positives to take from the game which will bode us well during the season."

This Saturday sees Latchford’s opening home fixture of the league campaign when they host Shevington Sharks at the ASICS Victoria Park Arena, kick-off 2.30pm.

Elsewhere, Crosfields A team made it two wins from two in NWML Division Three with a 42-6 success at Clock Face Miners, giving Peter Cannon a dream start to his open-age coaching career.

“It’s always a tough game at our near neighbours Clock Face, but this was always going to be a bigger test since their merger with Burtonwood Chargers," said Cannon.

"We started a bit slow and allowed them to take the lead in the first set, but I’m so pleased that was their last time over our line.

"We then scored 42 unanswered points, which reflects our control of the game.

"Captain marvel Jack Williams was once again instrumental in our game, he’s so lucky to have Jack Reid alongside him, and we continue to improve.

"I thought we sometimes allowed them to slow the pace of the game, and we then suffered from dropping our concentration, but it’s all part of our learning and we go on to our next game on a high.

Woolston Rovers A fell 28-16 at Walney Central in NWML Division Two.

Walney took control in the first half with tries from Jake Deveraux and Declan Gavin, both goaled by Jordan Staffieri, and they moved further clear with a Liam Finch try, again converted by Staffieri.

But Rovers managed to get on the scoreboard when second row Sam Vernon scored a try and stand-off Jay-Jay Catterall added the conversion to give the Cents an 18-6 half-time advantage.

Rovers started the second half the brightest and narrowed the gap with a try from loose-forward Jack Hancock but Walney put the game beyond Rovers with a second try for Gavin, that Dave Nicholson converted and then Nicholson added a further try.

The visitors refused to lie down though and had the final say with a try from centre Alex Pendlebury that Catterall converted.

Best for Rovers were full-back James Tarpey, scrum-half Dom Ball and prop forward Andy Addison.

Rovers A coach Liam Lawton said: “I can’t fault the effort of the lads, who gave their all for the full 80 minutes, but I feel it is a game that we could have got something out of if we had controlled things a bit better than what we did.

"There were a few chances that we failed to capitalise on and that is what has cost us.

"Walney are a tough team and it will be hard for anybody going there this season but it is one that got away from us.”

Rovers A: James Tarpey; Louis Griffiths, Alex Pendlebury, Liam Lawton, Simon Bishop; Jay-Jay Catterall, Dom Ball; Andy Addison, Jack Hancock, Tom Fagan, Sam Vernon, Craig Woolvine, Dave Jones. Subs: Jack Nolan, Tom Atherton, Rudi Stewart, Tom Harvey.

Rovers A will hope to bounce back when they entertain Rochdale Mayfield A in NWML Division Two on Saturday, kick-off 2.30pm at Monk Sports Club, Hillock Lane, Woolston.