As with most of the derbies of recent times this was far from an entertaining game, with neither try-line threatened very often and 32 (yes thirty two!) penalties contributing to a stop-start affair. Neither team could really say they dominated possession or territory with shots at goal the deciding factor in the end.

We were dogged by poor handling in the backs, spurning a massive overlap in the first half when a try looked on and wasting numerous attacking opportunities with miscued passes and drops. As in the Stockport game discipline was a problem and while some decisions may have been harsh we need to cut out the unnecessary, silly offences which are proving costly.

Rovers lost Brian Foreman to an early leg injury and chose to replace him with former West, now Mowden Park full-back Gavin Painter, joining the list of players to play on both sides of a Boxing Day derby (although not officially as a Rover). Chris Sainty had put Rovers 3-0 up on 15 minutes but 5 minutes later, with our first real attack, we took the lead. Gareth Foreman's clearance was charged down and several phases after the resulting line-out, Paul Williamson wriggled through a gap to score. Paul Moss added the conversion.

A late tackle decision allowed Sainty to cut the lead by 3 with 24 minutes gone but Moss responded with a shot of his own 15 minutes later.

Early in the second half another Sainty shot at goal dropped short but almost resulted in a try for Stewart Grazier after Phil Hall disrupted the ball as Tim Sawyer collected. Rob Thorn replaced a limping Iain Dixon before Sainty struck the post with another penalty attempt but the centre did cut the lead to a point with a successful shot with an hour gone.

Once again Moss responded 5 minutes later but failed to stretch the lead further with a 40 metre attempt moments later. With two Rovers yellow carded by referee Paul Fincken they had their best spell of the match and it was during that period, with an hour gone, that the crucial score came. A penalty was awarded inside the 22 and Gareth Foreman took his chance, taking the quick tap and skipping past defenders to score to the left of the posts although Sainty missed the conversion.

It was a hammer blow for and we didn't recover. When Sainty stetched the lead with another shot at goal on 76 minutes it looked a long way back although, in the closing stages another last gasp derby victory looked possible. We earned a number of penalties in the Rovers half and deep into injury time opted for a scrum under the posts, but as the ball was moved wide the pass to Thorn was behind him and knocked forward, summing up the afternoon perfectly.

On the positive side for West Aaron Myers looked back to his best, covering just about every blade of grass, which will give plenty of selection options in the back row with Dominic Morrison and Paul Vinnicombe available again in the New Year.


West: I Dixon (R Thorn), A Cheslin, Edwards (Howe), Hodgson, C Cheslin, Moss, Williamson, Carr, A Dixon, Stewart (Norris) (Coates), Robinson, T Dixon, D Boatman, Myers, Sawyer (Miller).

Try: Williamson
Con: Moss
Pens: Moss 2
Sin-bin: Sawyer


Rovers: B Foreman (Painter), Railton, Sainty, P Hall, B Cushlow, G Foreman, A Foreman, Pinchen (Langston), J Cushlow, Wise (Tucker), Power (Jukes), Cook, S Hall, Taylor (Smith), Grazier.

Try: G Foreman
Pens: Sainty 4
Sin-bin: P Hall, Jukes

Referee: Paul Fincken [Durham Society]