The game was closer than the scoreline suggests with a 4 tries to 3 margin. Cleck haven’t been beaten  this year and generously claimed that we had given them their hardest game in that run - specially in the forwards.

They have a team that has been together  for some time and play to their strengths – a very solid pack, some hard work in defence and that catch and try points machine. It was a game which our own experienced front row Andrew Dixon summed  up as “hard work.”

For our part this was a much better team performance than the defeat at Rochdale with all of our tries coming from open play.

Cleck made their intentions known from the kick off when they swarmed into our 22. The experienced hands in their pack forced a penalty, which was kicked to the corner allowing skipper Richard Piper to get his ninth short range try of the season.

Hayden missed his kick from close to the touchline. However,  the full back had got his range and on 19 minutes succeeded with another – again after a catch and drive this time scored by second row Ryan Piercy.

We looked to have got on the scoresheet two minutes later but Peter Youll’s foot was in touch as he spend down the left wing.

This began  a series of attacks on the home line which led t Ross Wood having to retire  for the rest of the game after he took a knee to the head. Andrew Dixon came on at hooker with Andrew Rollins moving over.

The visitors kept up the pressure with Sam MIller held up just on the line, and there were appeals from  visiting supporters for a penalty try after referee Andrew Scott award five penalties in a row.  He did, however, sin-bin prop Chris Piper for coming in at the side.

It took West eight minutes to take full advantage with the forwards providing an excellent platform on the left. It was whipped along the home 22 with Andrew Cheslin providing a superb inside ball to Peter Youll who’d come across from his wing to score for the best try of the afternoon. Stu Waites was narrowly wide with his conversion attempt.

West were given a further boost from the restart when Owen Bennett was taken out in the air by namesake Robin  who also went to the sin-bin.

Against 13 men we had a chance to get ourselves back into the game. Peter Youll led a strong break up the left,  but the chance was lost when the supporting Owen Bennett was judged to have held on.

With a half-time score of just 12-5, and with the home side down to 13 men for the opening minutes of the second half, the opportunity was still there.

But it was Cleckheaton who started the brightest and almost inevitably increased their lead thanks to the catch and drive. Richard Piper was again the beneficiary after a penalty was kicked to the corner.

Hayden’s conversion gave the home side a two score margin, and it looked all up for West on 50 minutes when Cleck manoeuvred a scrum to give space for Piper to send in scrum half Jack Bickerdike on the blindside.  Hayden again converted from close to the touchline.

We continued to try to take the game to our hosts,  but we were guilty of over eagerness with dropped passes and knock-ons  were our downfall.

Cleck then increased their lead from a penalty in front of the posts on 57 minutes after Dan Boatman was harshly judged to have gone off his feet

But finally we got the tries our enterprise deserved. They were almost identical with the pack forcing the solid home contingent back and quick ball out to the left stretching the cover,

Adam Coates got his first try of the season as the last man in the line on the hour mark. It was followed ten minutes later by energetic replacement Andy Turner getting his first league try for the club in exactly the same way and in the same place.. 

Stu Waites narrowly missed with his first attempt but made no mistakes with the second.

At 29-17 a fourth try would have given us a try bonus point plus a losing bonus point. Ryan Painter and Stu Waites both made breaks into the home 22 but the solid defence was able to clean up.

Then when Cleck did eventually get back into our half they were awarded a last minute penalty in front of the posts for not rolling away.

With Pocklington losing at Rochdale it is clear there are a handful of sides at the top of the league who are capable of taking points from each other. As the other four all having to come to Brinkburn the season is very much alive.

Cleckheaton: Ross Hayden, James  Wilson, James Marshall, Matt Piper, Martin Woodhead; Michael Piper, Jack Bickerdike; Paul Turner, Ben Thrower, Chris Piper, Ryan Piercy, Grant Turton, Rob Afoa Peterson, Richard Piper, Ollie Akroyd.

Reps: Andy Piper, Alex Dawson, Robin Bennett.

Tries: R. Piper [2], Piercy, Bickerdike.

Cons: Hayden [3]

Pens: Hayden [2]

Yellow: C. Piper, Bennett.

West:  Colin Cheslin, Greg Edwards,  Andrew Cheslin, Liam Bailey, Peter Youll,  Stu Waites, Ryan Painter, Ross Wood,  Andrew Rollins, Adam Coates,  Michael Hogan,  Owen Bennett,  Dan Boatman [c],  Jon Boatman, Sam Miller.

Reps: Andrew Dixon, Andrew Turner, Luke Mallinson.

Tries: Youll, Coates, Turner.

Cons: Waites [1]

Referee: Andrew Scott [North Yorkshire]