With Durham City squeaking past Rovers and Driffield comfortably beating Aldwinians things at the top of North Two East stay pretty much the same, although West will be pleased to have added 50 points into the point difference column which could end up proving crucial.

This game didn't really start off looking like offering many points and with 25 minutes played despite West having dominated possession and territory the score was only 6-0 thanks to two efforts from the left boot of Paul Moss.

Old Crocs were having all sorts of problems in the lineouts meaning they were struggling to get any possession going forward. Stand off Waite did manage a long range penalty just before the half hour to keep his side in touch but West responded with the opening try through Gav Painter. Paul Rudd, playing at number eight in a reshuffled back row alongside the Boatman brothers, made a typically strong run and quickly recycled ball saw Painter dive in for the score.

Moss failed with the conversion, and with a fairly straightforward penalty moments later but within 5 minutes Painter was adding his second - making amends for dropping a high ball by intercepting a pass from the resulting scrum and racing the length of the field to touch down and give Moss the simplest of conversion attempts.

West started the second half with a bang, Rob Thorn athletically grabbing the kick off and making good ground before the ball was moved along the line and Jon Boatman slipped through a gap to score.

Some might have though that the try and conversion, making the score 25-3 would mark the end of the Old Crocs challenge but if anything it galvanised the Yorkshiremen. They proceeded to have their best 15 minutes of the game, scoring a well worked try through winger Davis and causing West considerable problems. However a dropped ball in midfield proved crucial as Thorn and Painter capitalised by racing down-field for another try, Thorn eventually getting the touchdown after some nice inter-passing.

That fourth try finally took the wind from the Crocs sails as Dan Boatman waltzed his way in for a try 2 minutes later after great defensive work from Moss and then Peter Hodgson added a further score on 67 minutes.

Rob Thorn has made a habit of scoring tries this season and he added one more to the tally when he intercepted another pass and raced clear for his 18th touch down. Tom Dixon then finished off the afternoon's scoring with a try in the corner moments before the full-time whistle. Somebody must have told Paul Moss that the game was on the line as he brought out his clutch kicking boots, nailing both wide conversions of the last two tries!

West played some good rugby in this game and definitely showed enough to convince spectators that the Cumbrian blips were just that and the promotion challenge is far from over. The next league game is a trip to Driffield in a fortnights time - a fixture of massive importance and one which will have a huge bearing on the promotion challenge of both teams.



West: Painter, Thorn, A Cheslin, Hodgson, C Cheslin (Thomas), Moss, Tighe, Carr, A Dixon, Robinson (Norris), T Dixon, Davies (Garside), D Boatman, J Boatman, Rudd.

Tries: Painter 2, J Boatman, Thorn 2, D Boatman, Hodgson, T Dixon
Cons: Moss 6
Pens: Moss 2


Old Crossleyans: Seymour, Wainwright, J Hammond, R Hammond, Davis, Waite, Mallard, Day, Oliver, Thomas, Wood, Jowett, Riaz, Normanton, Hinchcliffe
Reps: Smethi, Hill, Holmes

Try: Davis
Pen: Waite


Referee: David Lodge [Manchester Society]