And if West did not know it already, they have a mountain of their own to climb.

West's frustrating defeat in the bottom-of-the-table fixture at Red Rocks saw them fall to the foot of the table with West Park St Helens moving above them, courtesy of their bonus point for runnining in five tries.

There were - again - a few good signs from Kevan Oliphant's side, who were captained by Peter Hodgson with regular leader Anth Carr unavailable.

West scored three tries (for only the second time this season) but once again they shot themselves in the foot.

They gifted West Park St Helens a 19-point start and you can't really do that and expect to win, although they did threaten to do so - another good sign perhaps?

West Park St Helens had experienced a funny old week - without a win at home all season and ahead of their biggest fixture, coach Kevin Greaves had left, apparently in a tizzy over selection.

Whatever the problems, it did not show as West Park St Helens tore into the visitors in the opening quarter.

And with West's defence handing out gifts, the home club ran in three tries through prop Adam Glover and winger Warren Hunt (2), Hunt converting two. With 18 minutes gone, the scoreboard read 19-0 and it was no more than both Wests deserved.

Was it going to be another Rochdale? Thankfully the answer was no.

West set up two good positions in the West Park St Helens half and scored two good tries inside three minutes.

Adam Howard got the first close to the posts after a great 20-metre burst and Tom Dixon squeezed over after a brilliant Hodgson run weas ended inches short of the line. Paul Moss added the extras and West were right back in it. What a game.

Alas, West gave Hunt an easy three points on 27 minutes but a scoreline olf 22-14 was not a bad one at the break.

And West closed to within thee points 14 minutes into the second half. Darren Thomas made a superb kick to rhe corner and after taking the line-out the ball was moved right where Tom Wilson came into the line to score an unconverted try.

It looked the perfect platform for West to push on but West Park St Helens were determined opponents and hooker Mark Bonati scored following a quick spell of pressure after a penalty was kicked to touch in the away 22. To add insult to injury Thomas got himsellf sinbinned, leaving West down to 14 men.

At 27-19 West were still very much in it with 13 minutes left. But they made a mess of an attacking line-out on 72 minutes and West Park St Helens took play to the other end of the field where flanker Jude Garvey scored down the right side.

West kept battling but could not get over for a fourth try which would have given them a bonus point and kept them off the bottom.

West Park St Helens: Hull, Holding, Orrick (Hitchmough 52), Briers, Hunt, Ryan, Worsley, Glover, Bonati (Bailey 77), Critchley, Hanson, Marshall, Garvey (Burrows 77), Murphy, Barton.
Tries: Hunt 2, Glover, Bonati, Garvey. Cons: Hunt 2. Pen: Hunt
Sinbin: Garvey
West: Wilson, C Cheslin, Hodgson, Moss, Thomas, G Robinson, Watson, Howard, A Dixon, Greenwell, T Dixon, Garside (Bailey 79), D Boatman, J Boatman, Rudd (Coates 71).
Tries: Howard, T Dixon, Wilson. Con: Moss 2.
Sin-bin: Thomas
Referee: Colin Burrell (Liverpool Society)