But after looking like throwing the game away in mad few minutes either side of half time the much changed team can take great credit in fighting back.
We had to make a number of late changes with full back Andrew Hare and inside centre Neil Howe reporting injured. Colts scrum half Tom Dougherty came in for his debut, but had to be content with a place out wide, while James Masshedar was called from second team duty to start at full back with Martin Todd moving to centre.
Wisely Davy Tighe opted to take the wind and the slope and West camped out in the home 22 for the first five minutes.
But Driffield gave early notice of the speed out wide when left winger Pratt raced in from 40 metres after the home pack seized on a dropped ball in the midfield.
West came back when Jon Boatman made a 20 metres burst to send Tom Dixon surging through the home defence. He drew the cover to send in Aaron Myers under the posts for a try which Dixon converted.
Another West youngster almost got a second try on 25 minutes after Masshedar kicked ahead over the defence. Teenage prop Jon Norris made ten metres but was stopped inches short of the line and received an ankle injury for his troubles which saw him replaced by Carl Robinson.
West didn't come away empty handed as Driffield had infringed and Dixon made it 10-5. He added two more as Driffield were put on the back foot, but from the second Driffield enjoyed good fortune from a bizarre restart.
Fly half Wilson dropped out into the gale but the ball blew straight back into his hands. As West waited for a scrum to be called the referee ruled that the ball had, in fact, travelled ten metres and Anderson seized on the opportunity to spin the ball out. Driffield took the initiative and Pratt scored his second of the day after troublesome prop Fanouti had charged his way up the flank
We looked like taking a 16-10 lead into the break but stopped playing when a pass to winger Anderson looked to be forward on the half way line. Instead, play was waived on and the winger sped passed Masshedar to touch down under the posts. It gave the home side a half time advantage - despite playing up the hill and into the teeth of a gale.
Worse was to come on the restart when West lost the ball on their own 22. The ball was moved quickly wide where replacement Vanston Cook was in support to go over for a converted try. Just two minutes later wet went even further behind when scrum half Gray exploited a yawning gap, following a ruck, and had the easy task of sending in fly half Wilson under the posts to make it 31-16. After 44 minutes West looked like being on the receiving end of a hammering.
Fortunately the pack had other ideas. They picked and drove at their opponents for the rest of the afternoon. The home pack gave away penalty after penalty as West worked their way up the field. Eventually Tom Dixon reduced the arrears with a penalty on the hour, after home centre Tom Plumridge was sin binned for a punch, and then 12 minutes later hooker Andy Dixon finished off as great forwards drive to make it 31-24.
West continued to look the more likely and set up a grandstand finish when Aaron Myers burst through from the half way line right on full time.. His fellow forwards were in support as he was eventually stopped and the ball was quickly shipped wide to Tom Dougherty and the 18 year old raced in for a well deserved debut try. Unfortunately for West the Driffield defence had enough left in their legs to force him to touch down in the cornerto give young Tom that nigh on impossible kick.
Driffield: L. Thompson, R Anderson, A McClarron, T Plumridge, J Pratt, H Wilson, C Gray, R Rountree, S Havler, E Fanouti, A Turton, B Cooper, R Jones, M Kauter [C Cook 40], T Luke.
Tries Pratt [2], Anderson, Wilson, Cook.
Cons Wilson [3]
Yellow: Plumridge.
West: J Masshedar, G Painter, G Edwards, M Todd, T Dougherty, P Moss [ C Cheslin 55], D Tighe, a Carr, A Dixon, J Norris [C Robinson 25], P Rudd [D Boatman 60], T Dixon, C Miller, A Myers, J Boatman.
Tries: Myers, Dixon, Dougherty
Cons: Dixon [1]
Pens Dixon [4]