 |
| Driffield's surprise loss at home to Pontefract granted West the
playoff berth but nobody at Brinkburn will be settling for that. A
win in two weeks time at Gateshead will all but secure automatic
promotion given the healthy points difference lead over City. A loss
for City against Pontefract coupled with a West win would guarantee
top spot. It wasn't a pretty game, it was never going to be with the rain falling and a strong wind blowing. But West showed that they have learnt how to win and they way the closed the game out in the closing minutes was very impressive. This game also showed the importance of a good start, West were on the wrong end of a similar result at Aspatria – going down to two early tries and never quite being able to get back into the game – thankfully the tables were turned today. Playing with the wind and driving rain in the first half that good start came via two tries. After a 4th minute Paul Moss penalty struck the post, Durham City failed to clear and from the resulting line-out West drove over the try-line, Andrew Davies emerging from the bottom of the pile to claim the opening score. The second score came off the back of an attacking scrum on 11 minutes when Davy Tighe looked to bring Rob Thorn into play only to see the ball hit the winger, loop up back into Tighe's hands and allow him to dive in at the corner. With conditions difficult for goal-kicking Moss failed with both conversion attempts. The excellent start seemed to cause the West players to lose focus and as the half wore on discipline became in issue, a mounting penalty count from referee Steve Havery's whistle a big concern and had City's touchline kicking been better they would have had some far better attacking positions from which to work. As it was they had to be content with most of their possession in the middle of the field and aside form a couple of rolling mauls, rarely looked like threatening the try line. Reaching half-time still only 10 points up it seemed West's failure, once again, to exploit the conditions might prove to be their downfall, especially when just 2 minutes into the second half Arnie Stevenson slotted a simple penalty after West were caught offside in midfield. Once again the rolling maul was City's best weapon and it generated some excellent attacking positions in the 22 only to see handling out-wide bring an end to the moves. West were guilty of not retaining possession well enough, trying speculative off-loads and failing to tidy up loose balls, gifting City more opportunities. With time ticking on though, points were all that mattered and a penalty for crossing just outside the 22 brought Stevenson an excellent chance to close the gap but his effort drifted wide. Two minutes later, with 6 minutes left to play, he did reduce the deficit with a penalty but what followed an excellent example in how to close a game out. The forwards protected the ball superbly, running through phase after phase, inch by inch driving Durham territory and all the time using up precious seconds on the clock. City barely got another sniff and the final whistle was the cue for jubilant scenes from players and supporters. The message is definitely “the job's not done yet” but this win was as important as they come and puts West firmly in the driving seat in the promotion race. It's not over yet, but it's definitely ours to lose. West: Painter, Thorn, Hodgson, Howe, A Cheslin, Moss, Tighe, Carr, A Dixon, Robinson (Norris), Davies, T Dixon, D Boatman, J Boatman, Rudd Reps (not used): Henderson, C Cheslin Tries: Davies, Tighe Durham City: Dias, Mattison, Thompson, Knowles, Metcalfe, A Stevenson, B Stevenson, Curry, Nichols, Cammiss, Dent, Showler, Smithson, McKinnon, Johnson Reps: Willetts, Forrest, Roberts Pens: A Stevenson 2 Referee: Steve Havery [Durham Society] |
Durham City 6 West 10
By El Pedro - March 31 2008Crucial Try
West took a giant step towards promotion by winning their “biggest game for a decade” securing, at worst, a promotion playoff come the end of the season. The win came via two early tries and sheer determination in horrible conditions at Hollow Drift.