In the end we got the two points we deserved and not many sides will achieve that at Old Crocs this season. Once again, it was a patchy display, with lots of spells of good attacking play and some solid defence, allthough still lacking the cutting edge to make games comfortable.

That was certainly evident in the first half. We took the game to Old Crocs in the first quarter, with new boy Rob Thorn looking a force on the right wing, and had Crocs pinned back in their own half. On the four occasions they got into our half they came away with points.

First Jonny Boatman was penalised for running into brother Dan as he peeled away from a scrum, then we were penalised for hands on the floor, and finally another three points were given away for going straight to ground. Scrum half Joel Hinchcliffe accepted all three opportunities gratefully.

Fortunately, Paul Moss had slotted a penalty of his own after Crocs infringed on their own 22.

We were down 9-3 and Crocs hadn't actually set foot in our 22. We were winning lots of line-out, and putting pressure on the home line with a series of driving mauls, but couldn't get the score. In fact, the closest we came in the opening phase was when Andrew Hare and Rob Thorn teamed up to interchange passes as they raced down the touchline - only for a desperate last ditch tackle on Hare by full back Chris Seymour to prevent the score.

Fly half Tony Waites's boot was the home side's best defensive, and attacking, weapon. He finally got them into our 22 after 35 minutes from a penalty. Chocky Davies stole the line-out ball and the backs chose to whip it along the line only to find home winger James Wainwright loitering in the space between Peter Hodgson and Danny Weegram. A ball over his head would have sent Danny sprinting 80 metres for a try, instead the ball went straight to the grateful Wainwright who could have walked between the posts.

There was little for Tim Sawyer and Davy Tighe to say at half time. Some of the West play had been the best so far this season and surely the pressure would take it's toll on a tiring home defence.

Paul Moss kept up the pressure by converting a long pen almost from the restart and then we opted for a scrum two minutes later to keep up the pressure on the home line.

Rob Thorn had another gallop along the right, but his pass inside to Edwards was intercepted, and then finally Paul Williamson got our first try. In typical fashion he darted home from 10 metres after a series of forward drives had spread the home defence.

At 16-13 the next score would almost certainly be the decisive one and it was certainly West who were most likely. The breakthrough finally came on the hour when Thorn had again taken the ball into the home 22. The forwards set up a series of shotgun attempts on the right. Desperate defence kept Chocky, Anth Carr and Carlo Robinson out but they'd created a gap and when the ball was spun out Andrew Hare came in to the line from full back to crash over. Paul Moss added a fine conversion from out wide.

He added another penalty seven minutes later to put some space between the two sides only for Crocs to come back to get their first score of the second half when Jonny Boatman was ruled offside just outside our 22.

At 19-23 it was still all to play for despite our territorial dominance. Mossy tried to put some distance between scores with a 30 metre drop goal attempt. It had the legs but was narrowly wide.

He almost turned villain a minute later when an attempted grubber kick on the half way line bounced off the shins of home fly half Tony Waites, making his comeback after receiving a serious facial injury against Horden last season. The ball broke kindly for the burly 10 but, with the line seemingly at his mercy, he made a hash off his follow up kick sending the ball spinning into touch. He saw the funny side but it spurred the home side into action and they finally mounted pressure on the West line.

Crocs looked to have a chance out wide on the left but ruined it with a forward pass, and then Andrew Hare was in position to prevent a crossfield kick being taken by Wainwright - a la Paul Sackey.

It was heart stopping stuff but after all the attacking Anth Carr and his fellow forwards showed they could put up some sterling defence and the unbeaten run continues.

West: 15 Hare 14 Weegram [Thomas 75]13 Edwards 12 Hodgson 11 Thorn 10 Moss 9 Williamson 1 Carr 2 A Dixon 3 C Robinson 4 T Dixon 5 Davies 6 Garside [C Miller 77] 7 D Boatman 8 J Boatman Reps 16 Thomas 17 C Miller 18 Cholmondeley

Old Crocs:15 C Seymour 14 J Wainright 13 C Duffy 12 N Richardson 11 D Bancroft 10 A Waite 9 J Hinchliffe 1 R Thomas 2 R Wheale 3 A Day 4 C Wood 5 T Beaver 6 T Michael 7 M Thomas 8 A Hinchliffe 16 M Riaz 17 R Oliver 18 J Mallard