Both teams had decided to keep it tight, and slow the ball down, which led to an intriguing contest for the committed observer, and doubtless a tedious one for the casual spectator

The sloping pitch - it heads downhill to one corner- dictated the tactics throughout.

Old Brods used it first, and such was its influence on their decision making, they spurned three or four good chances of penalty shots in favour of tap and go's. West weathered the storm in the first half, and had a couple of decent forward forays into the home 22, but were pleased to turn round scoreless.

We were even more delighted from the restart when the forwards headed downhill into that corner. The ball was recycled allowing Andrew Foreman to go on the short side and find Adam Howard.

The busy No 8 could have fed Adam Larkin - instead he went for the corner and managed to get over despite the attentions of three defenders. Stu Waites' conversion attempt into the wind was only just short.

In just one minute we had succeeded in doing what Old Brods had failed to do in 40 and the omens should have been good.

But, like the first half, the game became a succession of forward skirmishes with both sides taking the ball back in and the ref eventually blowing up and getting them to start all over again.

We had enough possession in the home 22 in the second half to score again, but a combination of errors, whistle, and some very determined home defence kept us out.

Hhopes were up on the hour when influential skipper Richard Holborough was sin-binned for killing the ball. This could have been the opportunity to get the ball out wide, but the pattern of play was so well established that nothing gave.

With such a slender lead we were always liable to the sucker punch and it came with ten minutes left. Old Brods had made a rare foray towards our 22, but the defence was covering across, so Moon chipped over and took advantage of a kindly bounce to go over.

Olly Ackroyd made no mistake with the kick.

There was plenty of effort, and frustration, in the final ten minutes from both sides. Liam Bailey was sin-binned at the death for his comments after being blocked from making a tackle by the referee.

A draw might have been a fair result, in a game where there wasn't a single penalty attempt on goal, but at least the monkey of being unbeaten is off our backs.

And we got a bonus point to keep us top.

Old Brods: James Marshall, Adam Standeven, Liam Scott, Richard Holborough [c], Louis Butler, Jack Moon, Danny Melia, Jamie McLaughlin, Rob Jennings, Dave Skinner, Ollie Akroyd, Matt Willis, Ben Hoyle, Andy Finn, Luke Scrimshaw. Reps: Luke Brocklehurst, Tom Hanson, Christus Ferneyhough.

Yellow card: Holborough. Try: Moon, Con: Ackroyd.

West: Darren Thomas, Scott Butcher, Colin Cheslin, Peter Hodgson, Adam Larkin, Stu Waites, Andrew Foreman, Anth Carr [Ross Wood 40}, Liam Bailey, Stephen Stockdale, Andrew Davies, Tom Dixon, Dan Boatman, Jon Boatman[ c], Adam Howard. Reps: Paul Moss, Ross Wood, Joe Rafferty.

Yellow card:P Bailey. Try: Howard