It was a familiar story for West – the forwards won plenty of ball but the attacking threat was minimal. The back-row trio of the Boatman brothers and Adam Howard worked tirelessly but Beverley were ruthless when it came to turnover ball, scoring all but their final try from moves started inside their own half. West defended well when the visitors were inside their 22 but in broken play were all at sea and couldn't deal with the quality passing and support play of the Beavers.

West never really got going in the first half. An opening penalty from Phil Doboulay on 13 minutes was quickly followed up by the opening score, centre Jade Gardner finishing off a sweeping counter attack after the ball went loose at the base of a West ruck.

Doboulay added a drop goal four minutes from the interval and flanker Craig Hancock finished off the next try in first half injury time, Doboulay again converting. That left the score 20-0 and rounded off a dismal half for West players and supporters.

5 minutes into the second half Beverley continued their counter-attacking prowess this time running back a poor West clearance kick and winger Goran Jelenic touching down. Doboulay continued his good kicking form with his third conversion.

West finally got on the scoreboard on 52 minutes, Tom Wilson going in at the corner after a good break from the base of a scrum by Harry Readhead. Paul Moss missed the conversion but the try seemed to stir the West spirits and the hunger that was missing in the opening 40 minutes finally seemed to arrive.

It was too little too late though and all West could do was frustrate Beverley for the final quarter. 29-5 would probably have been a fair reflection on the game but in a surprisingly long period of injury time Beverley the visitors clinched their bonus point with two further tries, first through full-back Richard Bussey and then skipper Dave Worrall.

West Park St Helens clinching a draw at Middlesbrough and Cleckheaton a losing bonus at Rochdale just rubs salt into the West wounds. The battle against relegation is looking increasingly tough but the season is still only at the half way stage and West are only two wins from safety. With today's team only able to muster an average age of 24 it's not surprising that they are finding the going tough but should they manage to grind out a victory from somewhere it might just spark that bit of confidence that has drifted away so spectacularly.


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

Try: Wilson

Beverley: Bussey, Jelenic, Gardner, Tupai, Hodgson, Doboulay, Kilgannon, Morris, Shaw, Pickering, Adams, Gibson, Hancock, Riby-French, Worrall.
Reps: Mackay, Gill, Jenney.

Tries: Gardner, Hancock, Jelenic, Bussey, Worall
Cons: Doboulay 4
Pen: Doboulay
DG: Doboulay

Referee: Greg MacDonald [Midlands]