Official West Hartlepool RFC

West travelled across town to neigbours Hartlepool II. The game only took place through the generosity of the home club as we only travelled with 9 players.
The first half was dominated by Hartlepool as they won lots of ball and used it within a structured game plan to batter West upfront. However they failed to turn all this ball into points with some of Wests defence very strong at times.
Initially they converted a penalty when West infringed in front of the posts.
Their first 2 tries came from good driving play close to the ruck and tackle with good offloading keeping the ball moving.
Their final try of the half came when their speedy centre latched onto another pop ball to race in and beat the final 2 defenders as he did so.
So half time came with the score 18 - 0 to Hartlepool. As the home team swopped their numbers in the West ranks it became obvious that some of the old stagers coming over could well give West the platform to use their mobile back row and speedy backs and this was to prove the case. It took a few minutes for the 'new' team to settle.
Adam Larkin at full back had already shown his pace in the first half and when given a chance from a long pass on the edge of his own 22 he beat a couple of players before accelerating up the middle of the pitch leaving players standing in his wake. Converted by Tom Armstrong. 18 - 7
Wests next try was a real good passage of play when they moved the ball across field and the back row linked with the outside backs to take it up the left wing. A couple of breakdowns later the ball was moved back across the park to the right wing and Tom Armstrong received the final pass to race over wide out and run around under the posts. He was able to convert. 18 - 14.
The final try of the game came when Armstrong received in the 10 spot and spotted a gap, he was able to nip through and stay on his feet and his pace took him away from the defence. Again he converted to leave a final score of 18 - 21.
So, a somewhat hollow victory as half our team were from the home club anyway. Bright spots being when we got the ball and used it well in the backs and the link play of the back row (Barker, Wright and Oliver).
We have a very large squad but through a mixture of reasonable excuses ranging down to pathetic we ended up with 9 players. The next time we all get together we will have a discussion on responsibility to your team mates and to your club.
For the record those that played were - Oliver, Brown, Armstrong, Larkin, McClelland, Barker, Wright, Parker and Martin Boatman



Post Edited (22-12-07 19:17)

Well stuck at guys and good to see Martin Boatman's name in there also :-D

Spot on Robok except I think it was the Cantbearsed Arms that was the attraction.

Sadly every year just before xmas seems to be a problem getting full team out.

Hello Chris,

Just one Question mate "Not being funny or anything"

You refare to west amatures as 3Ams, Do the Ams not have a 1st team any more or am i reading this wrong!!!

Its just a question ive been asked more than once after our last game.

Realy enjoyed it by the way, thanks for bringing your lads over. :-D

Hope i can answer that, West Ams do no longer have 2 teams as we used to and are now the 3Ams. Ams in name but really a West 3rd team

Andy,
At the start of this season we had a large influx of players from the junior section the large majority of whom wanted to play for West as opposed to the Ams. Both clubs realised that a merger had to take place as West could not run a 3rd team nor the Ams a first team. To try and keep everyone happy we decided to call the team West 3rds/ Ams as it was a mixed team. This quite simply got shortened to the 3Ams by someone in a post and the name has stuck.
The Ams is still a club in its own right and holds fundraisers etc. The club could in theory fold as it could be argued that it has served its purpose in keeping the West amateur club going through the professional era. Personally I dont want this to happen (a) because there is a place for it under the West Hartlepool umbrella and (b) its now part of the West Hartlepool clubs history so why not have a team name just like the Stags do?
Hope that helps

Thanks Andy.

I honestly was not aware of that.

Thats a shame,

Then again its good to see you benifiting from the youth of West colts.

Have a Good New Year if i don't see you before mate.

Here's a one for you "away from the Ams", have you noticed that on the Tees valley score sheet that Old Boys got beat by Rovers 63-3 in one of the first games of the season!!!

Funny, we aint played them yet!!!

Or did i miss read that mate?

:-D:-D

Could last years skullduggery be rising again? :oD:oD:oD:oD

Have a good New Year matey ;-)

Could have been WHAMS (West Hartlepool AMS) - our front row have those pretty boy Wham good looks.... dont they..........



Post Edited (28-12-07 17:57)

Have you seen Karlos in his Ultra tight shirt? :oD:oD:oD:oD:oD

Its that tight tight on him he has a nipple on in the middle of summer.:-)

That was an inverted Belly Button :oD:oD:oD:oD

Scullduggery!!!!!

Not from me, me old cocker. :oD

Thanks Chris.

Thats cleared it up fine mate.

Have a good new year mate. to the good lady and kids also. :-))

he could do with the rest of his upper half inverting a bit as well.

Not from you, i meant from others as per last year ;)

Ha

'O' Yes, how quickly i forget. :oD

Dont think people are silly enough to try that again this year do you mate?



:-!