West 38 Northern 22

By El Pedro - January 13 2019
West 38 Northern 22
The visit of the league leaders and fellow promotion contenders Northern was the perfect time for a big performance and we put in by far our best of the season in a resounding 38-22 win.

It was impressive on both sides of the ball - the defence was terrific and holding the free-scoring visitors to three tries, one in stoppage time at the end of the game, was a great effort. In attack we looked after the ball well and forwards and backs carried with purpose and power - Alex Barker a standout performer in the forwards and Will Hilditch lively in the backs.

 

We dominated the first ten minutes with the visitors under immediate pressure thanks to some of that hard carrying and ball retention. We kicked a couple of penalties to the corner but the Northern defence held on and when Andrew Rollins lost the ball reaching for line it looked like we might come away empty handed. But undeterred we kept pressing and a high tackle from Harrison Clarke allowed us to again kick for the corner and this time the rolling maul got across the line, Adam Brown emerging as the scorer.

 

Northern responded well with a period of pressure but a turnover from a scrum in our own 22 would lead to our second score. Peter Youll made an initial bust upfield before releasing Will Hilditch and then Adam Peacock who was stopped deep in Northern territory. As we advanced towards the line on the right the ball was then slickly moved along the back line for Max Tennant to finish off a fantastic team try. Waites added the conversion for a 12-0 lead with a little over 20 minutes played.

 

The league leaders have scored at least 4 tries in every game this season so their scoring threat was clear and they pulled one back through full-back Elliott Trott and then continued to to test our defence in the 22 in the final stages of the half. We came away only having conceded a penalty to Ali Gray with the intensity and commitment in defence clear for all to see.

 

Leading 12-8 at the break the game seemed predictably poised for a nail-biting conclusion. We were first to strike in the second half with Stu Waites using penalty advantage to throw a long pass to Adam Peacock who nicely rounded his opposite number for a try in the right corner with Stu also adding the tough conversion. But again Northern bounced straight back with two long breaks setting up enough space for dangerous runner Louie Tang to outpace the defence and get a deserved try, converted by Gray.

 

A crucial moment in the game came after 18 minutes of the half with a chip ahead caught cleanly by Northern but referee Les Cash waving away claims of a mark being called and allowing the West defenders to drive the visitors back over their own line to win a 5 metre scrum. We had been dominating the scrums and another big effort drove the Northern pack back allowing replacement Scott Butcher to score the all-important fourth try.

 

Another scrum close to the line almost produced a carbon copy score but the defence held out a few more phases until Brown powered over for his second from short range to finally give us breathing space on the scoreboard at 31-15 with 17 minutes to play.

 

Content on pinning Northern back inside their own half for the closing stages we rounded off our scoring on the back of another scrum, this time Ryan Painter taking advantage of a two on one to sell a dummy and run in unopposed.

 

Northern added a try in injury time and a quick drop-goal conversion allowed time for the restart and possibility of their trademark bonus point try - but the ball was lost from the kick and the final whistle blown.

 

The five point swing really tightens things up at the top of DN1 with Northern remaining top but Durham City now only two behind and West a further point back. With 10 games to play much could still change and every game becomes a must-win and picking up bonus points along the way equally crucial.



West: Southern, Tennant, Hilditch, Youll, Peacock, Waites, R Painter, Coates, Rollins, Cookland, Bunter, Atkins, Barker, Robinson, Brown.

Reps: Butcher, Rafferty, Johnston

 

Tries: Brown 2, Tennant, Peacock, Butcher, Painter

Cons: Waites 3, Southern

 

Northern: Trott, Reah, Young, Appleby-Rutter, Tang, Clarke, Gray, Hirst, Mullick, Douglas, Kell, White, Kay, Smallwood, Burt.

Reps: Liley, Matthews, Wilson

 

Tries: Trott, Tang, Liley

Con: Gray, Clarke

Pen: Gray

YC: Clarke

 

Referee: Les Cash [Durham Society]

 

 

 
West 38 Northern 22
Posted by: Official West Hartlepool RFC (IP Logged)
Date: 13/01/2019 11:09


Re: West 38 Northern 22
Posted by: LesterP (IP Logged)
Date: 13/01/2019 11:33

Fantastic effort & performance.

Well done everyone.

Re: West 38 Northern 22
Posted by: old shepherd (IP Logged)
Date: 13/01/2019 13:40

Great team performance. Great discipline shown throughout. Stuck at it for the full 80.GO WEST!

Re: West 38 Northern 22
Posted by: Junior Fixture Secretary (IP Logged)
Date: 13/01/2019 20:18

The chip ahead which referee Les Cash waved away was because he said it had been touched in flight by a Northern player.

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