On the positive side this was a world away from the tame performance last time out against Sandal but in any game where you lose so narrowly it can be hard to focus on the positives. Billingham certainly came into the game as favourites but this game could have gone either way with the sides as evenly matched as the scoreline suggests.

The welcome return of Stu Waites at fly-half gave us a more organised feel behind the scrum but it was up front where the forwards once again performed superbly and didn’t deserve to be on the losing side. The scrum was solid throughout and in the second half in particular they put in a dominant performance but just couldn’t get the points to overhaul the visitor’s lead.

Billingham’s full-back Peter Evans scored all 23 points for his side and it was his 5th minute penalty and 12th minute try which quickly established a 10 point lead and at the stage things looked a little ominous.

But we fought back and after opting for a scrum from a penalty 5 meters out Stew Grazier picked up and dove over with Waites adding the conversion.

Billingham lacked their usual slickness in the backs but Evans did manage to nudge them further in front with a well struck penalty on 36 minutes after we were penalised for pulling a man back off the ball.

Waites replied with a shot of his own in the final minute of the half but there was still time for the visitors to strike a hammer blow as Evans slipped through a couple of tackles and sped away for a well finished solo try. His own conversion stretched the lead back to 10 at the break.

With the pack getting good returns from the pick and go it was no surprise when a series of these led to a try from replacement Nathan Myers, making a noticeable impact from the bench.

No sooner had Waites converted to bring us within three points we gifted Evans another shot at goal from an offside and the full-back made no mistake, stretching the lead back to six.

It would prove to be a crucial three points. We hammered away at the Billingham defence which held on until the 72nd minute when Adam Coates went over in the right corner after more good work from Myers but it left an almost impossible conversion into the wind for Waites. There was still plenty of time to play but the visitors never looked like letting the lead slip and they closed the game out well, pinning us in our own 22 and securing their third win of the season.

As disappointing as a narrow loss is we need to be encouraged by a return to form following three forgettable weeks. Carry on in this vein and the next win shouldn’t be too far away.


West: David Heckles, Greg Edwards, Andrew Cheslin, Luke Watson, Scott Butcher, Stu Waites, Ryan Painter, Ian Pinchen, Andrew Rollins, Adam Coates, Andrew Davies, Craig Gilmour, Dan Boatman [capt], Jon Boatman, Stew Grazier. Reps: Andrew Dixon, Nathan Myers, Andrew Foreman.

Tries: Grazier, Myers, Coates
Cons: Waites 2
Pen: Waites


Billingham: Peter Evans, Elliot Husband, Anth Hyndman, Will Turnbull, Craig Shepherd, Joe Evans [capt], Andy Evans,  Steve Smith,  Anthony Amos,  Steve Hutchinson, Craig Tennant, Paul Dalton, Dan Burns, Dave Robinson,. Mike Evans. Reps:   James Watson, Paul Shepherd, Danny Finney

Tries: P Evans 2
Cons: P Evans 2
Pens: P Evans 3