On today’s evidence watching rugby at Brinkburn this season should be an entertaining experience, coaches Kevan Oliphant and Tim Sawyer want to play an open game and the players certainly showed that intention. They looked to run the ball at every opportunity, including at times from their own 22, with the backs showing massive improvement from last season moving the ball well and looking a constant threat.

The centre partnership of Jamie Connolly and Gareth Kerr combined well, Connolly drawing in defenders with bursts through the middle and Kerr using his pace to good effect on the outside. Paul Moss showed increased confidence, distributing the ball extremely well, and both Andy and Colin Cheslin showed pace and strength making ground with every touch of the ball.

After a close first half, on the scoreboard at least, the hosts ran away with the game in the second half adding a further five tries to Colin Cheslin’s first half opener. In response Boro could only muster two first half penalties and a consolation try from Peter Wright. Cheslin’s try came courtesy of a Davy Tighe break from a scrum close to the line, the scrum-half feeding Iain Dixon who in turn moved the ball on to Cheslin who made no mistake with the finish in the corner.

The second of Moore’s penalties reduced the lead to a single point ten minutes before the interval but West should have gone further in-front but minutes before the break Kerr was held up short of the line with a two-man overlap left begging outside of him.

The influential Connolly limped off at half-time to be replaced by Darren Thomas but Iain Dixon was a more than able deputy at inside-centre. Middlesbrough also suffered an injury blow at the interval, losing fly-half and goal-kicker Moore.

Early in the second period Andy Cheslin hacked through and won a foot-race to score the second try of the afternoon after the Boro backs had spilled the ball in midfield. Minutes later Kerr made up for his earlier error with a superb try-saving tackle - chasing down flanker Matt Wright when he looked certain to score and Callum Campbell, taking over the kicking duties, failed in a penalty attempt moments later.

This was the cue for the West onslaught. With 56 minutes gone number-eight Paul Vinnicombe broke from the base of a scrum and fed inside to Jon Boatman who finished off the score and four minutes later Thomas dove over in the corner after the forwards stole a lineout and the backs made good use of an overlap in tight-space on the left flank.

With nine minutes to play Boatman got his second try, the pick of the afternoons scores. Moss slipped the ball to Colin Cheslin who burst through a hole in the Middlesbrough back line and good support play from Aaron Myers and Boatman produced the score.

Scrum half Peter Wright darted in for Middlesbrough’s try four minutes from time but West were not to be out-done and with an identical move to the previous try, Colin Cheslin burst through and this time sped all the way to the line for his second try.

A comprehensive opening day win for West will certainly give the squad confidence but nobody will be getting carried away just yet. Middlesbrough did not look the force that so easily won North Two East two seasons ago and tougher tests will surely lie ahead.


West: I Dixon, C Cheslin, Kerr, Connolly (Thomas), A Cheslin, Moss, Tighe, Carr, A Dixon, Robinson (Norris), T Dixon, D Boatman, J Boatman, Myers (Henderson), Vinnicombe.

Tries: C Cheslin 2, A Cheslin, J Boatman 2, Thomas
Cons: Moss 3

Middlesbrough: Campbell, Poole, Bellerby, Norris, Wood, Moore, P Wright, Warsama, Horton, Chapman, Bradford, Hutchinson, M Wight, Fingland, Howe
Reps: Adamson, Tebbs, Dougherty

Try: P Wright
Con: Campbell
Pens: Moore 2

Referee: Andy Daniels [Manhester]