On paper not many would have picked a home win before the game – Tigers 4th in the league, West bottom - last meeting Tigers 57 West 8 - West without a win in 7 games – it all painted a gloomy picture. However, the players ripped up the form book, finally producing the sort of display that has made Brinkburn such a difficult place to come and win over he last few years.

The win lifts West off the foot of the National Three North table and whilst hardly making everything look rosy again it does offer some encouragement for the remainder of the season. The performance was all about hard work and commitment and if those qualities remain then surely more results like this are possible.

Heavy overnight rain meant the decision was taken to play the game on the better draining pitch next to the college and whilst it was still heavy underfoot there was no surface water to cause problems for the players. It never really looked like a day for a hat-full of tries and experienced half back pair Davy Tighe and Paul Moss executed a sensible gameplan, kicking well all afternoon
and organising their side well.

The only try of the game came just 2 minutes in. Moss executed a nice chip over the Tigers defensive line and Scott Jordan raced onto the ball, collected and finished well, holding off a tackle as he approached the line. Moss slotted the easy conversion and followed it up with a penalty on 15 minutes.

The 10 point lead reflected the possession and territory well with West dominant and Tigers having hardly been in the game. Inevitably the visitors fought back and spent the majority of the rest of the half camped in the home 22. Try scoring opportunities came but were spurned, two by dropped passes and others by some resolute defence. That defensive work was never more evident than in a succession of scrums in first half injury time were the West forwards somehow managed to keep the counterparts out.

Into the second half West were further buoyed by another Moss penalty after just 4 minutes and as Tigers frustration grew so did West's confidence and their work-rate in defence. Having turned down a penalty in-front of the posts late in the first half the visitors opted for a relatively straightforward shot at goal on 47 minutes but full-back Will Durandt's kick slid wide. This prompted an immediate substitution, Charlie Spon-Smith coming on to take over the kicking duties but he too skewed a simple kick past the post 5 minutes later.

The missed kicks seemed to spur West on further and while, a long range Moss penalty attempt apart, they didn't look like adding further points their defensive line looked harder and harder to break. Tigers continued to push but couldn't find a way through and West were not to be denied a fine victory.

One win certainly doesn't make this side world-beaters but hopefully it will bring some of the belief and confidence that has been lacking so far this season. The short trip down the A19 to Middlesbrough next week is the perfect opportunity to show that this wasn't just a one-off.


West: Jordan, Thomas, Connolly, I Wilson (T Wilson), A Cheslin, Moss, Tighe, Carr, A Dixon, C Robinson, T Dixon, Davies (Rudd), D Boatman, J Boatman, Howard.

Try: Jordan
Con: Moss
Pens: Moss 2

Sheffield Tigers: Durandt, Lee, Rothwell, Buchanan, Bastock, Scully, Drage, Bunting, Horn, Toews, Parsons,Wilkinson, Joel, Nash, Pearson.
Reps: Russell, Barrett, Spon-Smith

Referee: Jon Owen [Northern Group]