With the pitch thoroughly thawed out after an overnight frost, both teams were glad to get the game played and avoid having to add another postponement to the already congested fixture list. Despite the cold conditions the crowd were treated to a decent game of rugby with both sides showing plenty of commitment despite, at times, struggling with handling.

From a West point of view it was a more than satisfactory afternoon's work and another maximum-point win keeps us right on the tail of Percy Park with last weeks frozen off game at Northern still in-hand.

For a long period the game was a lot tighter than the final scoreline suggests and in the first half neither side had many clear scoring opportunities. We had opened the scoring after just 7 minutes through Andy Cheslin's excellent finish in the left corner. Following a good passage of ball retention the ball was worked out to the winger who not only held on to a wayward pass but managed to beat his man and hold off the last defender to touch down for the score. Gareth Foreman's conversion attempt drifted wide and the score remained at 5-0 until the closing moments of the half.

With just three minutes to go till the break we looked to have doubled our lead when Adam Howard broke from the base of a scrum and slammed the ball down over the line. But with referee Candlish unsighted he couldn't award the try and returned for a scrum to the visitors. Old Brods failed to clear their lines though and after a loose lineout in the 22 a clearance kick was charged down and Liam Bailey pounced on the bouncing ball for the second try of the game.

The 10-0 half-time scoreline probably wasn't an unfair reflection on the game as whilst Old Brods had stifled our attacking play and been quote resolute in defence, they had offered little going forward and spent next to no time in our 22.

That pattern would be repeated in the second half as the visitors kicked too much ball away and, aside from a 35 metre penalty attempt from Oliver Akroyd three minutes into the half which struck the crossbar, never really threatened the scoreboard. It was into the final 5 minutes when they won possession in the 22 for the first time and the defensive work put it had obviously taken it's toll.

Luke Watson snaffled on an attempted offload and sprinted up the left touchline for a try on 55 minutes and then Stephen Stockdale came off the bench to finish things off with those three scores in the space of just 13 minutes.

His first came on 67 minutes and was largely thanks to the forward pack in-front of him who, having gained the upper-hand in the scrum, drove the visitors back from 5 metres out for a good old-fashioned pushover try.

Six minutes later the prop/number-eight crashed over again, finishing off a move that started with a good break from skipper Jon Boatman and then in the final minute of the game the third and final score, this time capitalising on a run from Darren Thomas.

We remain unbeaten at Brinkburn going into a February which holds some crucial games, most notably the visits of Percy Park and Wheatley Hills to Catcote Road on the final two weekends of the month. Before then we must remain focused on two away trips to Old Crocs and Driffield and will have more injuries to assess with Andrew Foreman limping off in the second half and Stu Waites and Colin Cheslin both dropping out of the starting XV before kick-off.


West: Thomas, A Cheslin, Watson, G Robinson, Larkin, G Foreman, A Foreman (Moss), Carr, Bailey, Coates (Miller), Davies, Lloyd, D Boatman, J Boatman, Howard.

Tries: A Cheslin, Bailey, Watson, Stockdale 3
Cons: Moss 2

Old Brodleians: Moon, M Hoyle, Holbrough, Hotham, Butler, Scott, Armitage, McLaughlin, Jennings, Thompson, Hanson, Millward, Shaw, B Hoyle, Akroyd.
Reps: Skinner, Brocklehurst, Standeven

Referee: Paul Candlish [Durham Society]