The length of this report will probably indicate the sort of match this was! There were few talking points with both teams looking distinctly average in attack, resulting in a kicking duel which the hosts always looked more comfortable with.

West couldn't generate enough territory to put us in with a chance and Boro certainly had the better of the few scoring opportunities although. aside from a short spell in the second half, a try never looked likely at either end.

Moss had the first penalty attempt of the game after 5 minutes but, not for the first time this season, the kicking tee was still in the changing room so the 40 metre kick all of a sudden looked a lot trickier. He still managed a decent strike on the ball but the kick slid wide.

Moments later Peter Hodgson took a heavy knock to the head and had to be helped from the field to be replaced by Stu Waites. Simon O'Farrell also missed the target with a penalty for Boro on 10 minutes but found his range 5 minutes later to give the hosts the lead, which he then doubled with another successful shot on 23 minutes. But, straight from the restart West claimed the ball and earned a penalty on the 22 which Moss made no mistake with to reduce the deficit back to 3.

Another O'Farrell penalty a minute into first half injury time restored the lead to 6 points going into the break. During the interval West skipper Anth Carr was forced to leave the field having played most of the first half with an arm injury, Michael Hogan coming on for a first-team debut.

Boro started the second half brightly and had a 5 minute spell camped in the West 22 but they couldn't get over the line and a knock-on from a close range line-out eventually allowed West to clear. Unfortunately for those watching from the sidelines, this was to be the closest the game would get to a try. O'Farrell extended the lead further on 55 minutes with a simple penalty after West were harshly penalised when it seemed Boro scrum-half Peter Wright had held back Jonny Boatman but referee Richard Whelan saw it the other way around.

Both sides continued to struggle to create anything substantial in the way of attacking rugby and when, in injury time, West were awarded a kickable penalty, in-front of the posts 30 metres out, it looked as though they would at least have a bonus point to show for their efforts. But it wasn't to be, the kicked missed to the right of the posts and the final whistle left an air of frustration among the West players and supporters.

Cleckheaton's losing bonus point means we slip back below the Yorkshiremen and are now 14 points from safety thanks to Rochdale's win over West Park. Picking up the bonus points as well as the wins could be crucial from here on in and while it is encouraging that we haven't conceded a try for 2 games, we have also scored only one which is a slight cause for concern.

Next week sees top-of-the-table Morley visit Brinkburn in what will be a tough examination for the team but if we can continue to defend well and stay in the game, who knows what might happen.


West: Thomas, A Cheslin, Hodgson (Waites), Connolly, C Cheslin, Moss, Tighe, Carr (Hogan, Garside), A Dixon, Greenwell, T Dixon, Davies, D Boatman, J Boatman, Howard.

Pen: Moss
Sin-bin: J Boatman (75)

Boro: Muncer, Micklewright, Bellerby, Featherstone, Campbell, O'Farrell, P Wright, C Horton, R Horton, Chapman, Theakston, Barker, Dixon, Kirwin, Bradford.
Reps: B Horton, M Wright, Norris.

Pens: O'Farrell 4

Referee: Richard Whelan (S Yorks)