Recent derbies with Rovers have often not been pretty games to watch but normally a tense finish or controversial moment at least keeps the neutral fan interested. Unfortunately this game had nothing of the sort and the collective sigh around the Friarage at the final whistle probably summed things up fairly. There were plenty of contributing factors to this stop-start, scrappy affair – a heavy pitch on a cold day never helps but both sides struggled with handling at times and lineout ball was a lottery whoever was throwing in. The teams also struggled to get to grips with referee Erasmus' interpretation at the breakdown with penalties going one way then the other throughout the game and regular discussions with the captains bringing about no improvement.

We were forced into a number of changes from the lineup named earlier in the week. Adam Howard failed to recover from the shoulder injury suffered against Mowden Park on Monday so Adam Coates came in at prop with Stephen Stockdale dropping back to number eight. Colin Cheslin was also ruled out with injury bringing Luke Watson into outside centre for his first start of the season. To further shake things up Darren Thomas and Tom Dixon both failed to make it through the warm-up leaving Adam Larkin and Carl Miller to step in. This reshuffling was perhaps another contributing factor to why we never hit the heights of the win over Mowden.

Chris Sainty gave Rovers the early lead with a penalty after 6 minutes but we hit back with a try from Andy Cheslin on 10 minutes, the winger racing in at the corner after Watson had held the defence and delivered a well-timed pass.

Stu Waites missed the conversion and then a penalty attempt minutes later but we eventually extended the lead just before the half hour with another try in almost the same position as the first. The ball was once again moved along the backline and this time it was Gav Robinson who rode a tackle and delivered a scoring pass to Waites. Gareth Foreman took over the kicking duties but saw his conversion attempt drift past the left-hand post.

We had dominated territory for most of the first half but Rovers worked the ball up-field in the closing stages, strangely turning down a kickable penalty for a kick to touch, which they would eventually regret as the ball was turned over. To make matters worse for the hosts two successive penalties saw Andrew Dring shown a yellow card and when Liam Bailey touched down in injury time it rounded off a forgettable few minutes for the men in white. Foreman once again went wide with the conversion but it left us with a healthier looking 15-3 lead at the break.

Sainty missed an early penalty attempt in the second half but Rovers got right back in the game with a try from Stuart Grazier on 53 minutes. A kick into the corner from a penalty resulted in a lineout just over 5 metres out and as the throw came in it could only be tipped by the hand of the intended jumper and the loose ball fell to Grazier who went in untouched. The referee waved away appeals for a knock-on and awarded the try, Sainty striking the post with his conversion attempt.

We secured the bonus point with what proved to be the final score of the match, Scott Butcher finishing well in the right corner on 61 minutes after Watson had again delivered a good pass having initially been tackled. Foreman was successful with the wide conversion to complete the scoring. Rovers probably had the better of the chances in the final quarter and certainly increased their ferocity at the breakdown earning a number of turnovers and penalties but despite getting close to the line on a couple of occasions they couldn't add to Grazier's earlier score.

While the performance may not have been one the players would be entirely happy with, they can be more than happy with the five-points earned. Derbies aren't easy games to win and some credit should go to Rovers who, if they battle as they did in the game against some other sides in this league, will surely earn a few wins. We move on to host Morpeth, who were again without a game this week as their clash with Team Northumbria was postponed. Hopefully the weather will be kind and Brinkburn can see it's first league game since November 13th!

West: Waites, Larkin (Butcher), Watson, G Robinson, A Cheslin, G Foreman, A Foreman, Carr (A Dixon), Bailey, Coates, Davies, Miller (Henderson), D Boatman, J Boatman, Stockdale.

Tries: A Cheslin, Waites, Bailey, Butcher.
Cons: G Foreman
Sin-bin: D Boatman, Bailey

Rovers: Lilley, B Cushlow, Coulson, B Foreman, Jones, Sainty, Arnell, S Smith, Gregory, Pinchen, Brown, Thubron, Grazier, Palmer, Dring. Reps: Wise, Atkins, King.

Try: Grazier
Pen: Sainty
Sin-bin: Dring

Referee: Charl Erasmus