We obviously like playing against the university outfit as our trip to the Bullocksteads sports ground earlier in the season was the scene of one of our best performances of the campaign so far. That day the game was all about ball retention in wet conditions where today we finally saw some of the confident handling we were used to back at the start of the season.

The Boatman brothers were outstanding with the ball in hand and the support play from the full team was excellent throughout. More clinical passing and finishing could have led to numerous more scores but with 6 tries on the board we can be more than satisfied.

Andrew Foreman started things off after 5 minutes with a break up the blind-side which saw him beat 2 men and carry a third with him up to the line for a score in the right corner.
 
A powerful scrum in the same corner won us a penalty minutes later and after two kicks to the corner we moved the ball right across the field with some good long passing and Andrew Cheslin finished off just inside the left corner flag.

Still rampant and with Team Northumbria barely having touched the ball top try scorer Stephen Stockdale added another to his tally on 13 minutes. A flowing build up took the ball deep into the 22 and the prop come number eight finished from close range. Gareth Foreman struck the post with the simple conversion but didn't have to wait long to make amends as just 4 minutes later Adam Larkin raced up the right flank and finished in the right corner again, this time Foreman sweetly striking the wide kick through the uprights.

The bonus point already on the board we had made the perfect start and Team Northumbria looked shell-shocked having still barely touched the ball and already finding themselves 22-0 down. The visitors finally got some possession and to their credit still looked to run the ball at every opportunity. Poor decision making saw them turn down two good kickable penalty opportunities that would have brought them back into the game and those decisions proved even more costly when, as the half drew to a close, Larkin broke again and despite being stopped short got the ball to Carl Miller via Luke Watson for the second row to touch down. Foreman again slotted the conversion to complete an excellent half.

Team Northumbria did opt for a shot at goal 5 minutes into the second half, wing Joe Rowntree making no mistake to get his side on the scoreboard, but despite some good rugby in the half it would be their only points of the game.

Gareth Foreman's break on 68 minutes set up a penalty on the 22 and when he and brother Andrew took the quick tap a try always looked on. The brothers combined as they so often have to finish off the score, Gareth converting his own try. The fly-half then showed great commitment at the other end of the field with a try saving tackle to deny Northumbria a consolation score.

This was a timely return to form after a few weeks grinding out wins in tough conditions and with two more home games coming up we will be looking for more of the same against Durham City and Morpeth.




West: Thomas, Larkin (Butcher), Watson, G Robinson, A Cheslin, G Foreman, A Foreman, Norris (Carr), Bailey, Coates, Davies, Miller (Holmes), D Boatman, J Boatman, Stockdale.

Tries: A Foreman, A Cheslin, Stockdale, Larkin, Miller, G Foreman.
Cons: G Foreman 3


Team Northumbria: Thomas Harrison, Sean Bellon, Thomas Grimes, Ash Goodwin, Joe Rowntree, Paddy Harper, Calum Blyth, Ollie Holtam, Francis Entressengle, Oli Longmore, Tom Schofield, Phil Ludford, Tim Acheson, Nick Watt, Stuart Wilson.
Reps: James Hamer, Louis Whitworth, Adam Broadbent

Pen: Joe Rowntree

Referee: Paul Candlish [Durham Society]