No doubt some local statistician could tell me how many West v Rovers derbies there have been over the years but surely few can have ended in stranger circumstances than this one. When Michael Taylor went over in the corner and Gareth Foreman slotted the touchline conversion the Rovers celebrations started but the final whistle brought looks of bemusement from all sides of the Friarage with the scores level at 15 points each. The referee called both captains over and after a brief discussion the players shook hands and left the field, West being declared the winners as the visiting team because the tries and conversions scored were both also equal.

Despite advancing in the competition it will probably be West who go away feeling more disappointed with the game given the number of chances they had to close it out in the second half. If West were hoping to build some confidence ahead of next week's trip to National 3 North's bottom club West Park St Helens then they have probably only reinforced the known problems of converting pressure into points.

Paul Moss went wide with a penalty attempt in the first minute, not helped by the lack of a kicking tee, but it didn't take long for West to open the scoring. Jon Boatman made a crunching tackle on Gareth Foreman in the home 22 and the loose ball was hacked into touch by the hosts. Strangely the 5 metre lineout was awarded to Rovers but an overthrow proved costly as Dan Boatman took the ball and fought his way over the line for the try. Moss converted, this time with the help of the tee.

Rovers came back with a try of their own on 14 minutes. West conceded a series of penalties and the home forwards worked the ball deep into the 22. Darren Thomas was dispatched to the sin-bin and the next passage of play saw prop Ian Pinchen score from close range. Phil Hall missed the conversion.

West extended their lead on 24 minutes when quick hands from Adam Howard set Jon Boatman away up the wing and the flanker, definitely back to his best form, raced away to score in the corner. Moss' conversion dropped short but he did add a penalty 8 minutes later to increase the lead to 15-5.

Hall missed the chance to peg three points back with skewed penalty on 33 minutes and the lead remained 10 points at the break.

West had plenty of possession and territory in the second half but couldn't convert any of it into points. Tom Wilson got a try-saving finger on Steve Jones, just tap tackling the winger as he looked favourite to score but that was one of the few Rovers attacks in a half dominated by the visitors on everything but the scoreboard.

When Gareth Foreman assumed the kicking duties and slotted a 40 metre penalty with 10 minutes to go it still seemed unlikely that the hosts would get back into the game but West spurned more opportunities in the closing stages and when Rovers got their chance they took it, the forwards picking and driving well before Taylor went in.

So the local bragging rights remain on ice until Boxing Day but until then West desperately need a couple of league wins to build the confidence amongst a squad full of potential.

Rovers leave the game with some injury concerns for their league campaign, Andrew Foreman leaving the field on a stretcher in the first half with a serious looking injury and player-coach Alan Brown also limping off 10 minutes from time.


West: Wilson (Readhead), Thomas, Hodgson, Moss, C Cheslin, G Robinson, Watson, Carr, A Dixon, Greenwell (C Robinson), T Dixon, Davies (Rudd), D Boatman (Garside), J Boatman, Howard.

Tries: D Boatman, J Boatman
Con: Moss
Pen: Moss

Sin-bin: Thomas


Rovers: Massedhar, Lilley, B.Foreman, P.Hall, Jones, G.Foreman, A.Foreman, S.Smith, Cushlow, I.Pinchen, Thubron, Power, Taylor, Palmer, A.Brown, Reps: Dring, Wise, M.Railton, Thomas

Tries: Pinchen, Taylor
Con: G Foreman
Pen: G Foreman