Unfortunately, due to potentially long-term injuries to key players, particularly in the front row, West were unable to field any qualified and competent props which meant that the scrums had to be uncontested, something which is not ideal but it does mean that the game could go ahead.

West got off to a bright start after early pressure from the home side and opened the scoring with a well-taken penalty by Will Hilditch [0-3 after 5mins] after Billingham were penalised for straying offside. Billingham then began to apply considerable pressure on the visitor’s line. But a quick turn over allowed West to sweep downfield and after some good interplay CeeJay Beales was able to break through a number of would be tacklers to score under the posts, converted by Will Hilditch [0-10 20mins.

Stirred by this Billingham began to find some fluency in their play and despite some heroic defending by the visitors scored two tries and a penalty within the space of 8 mins. The visitors however would not give in and a superb long-range penalty by Will Hilditch just on the cusp of half time meant that the score was 17-13 at half time.

The home team opened up the second half with some particularly good strong running and with some fresh legs ran in three tries , two of which were converted in the space of 15 mins. West however would not lie down and a quickly taken penalty on the home twenty-two, was moved out to the right wing for centre Joe Whillis to score wide out, unconverted. The last 14 mins saw the home team run in a further two tries as the fresh legs they were able to bring on stretched the tiring West defence.

Credit must go to both sides for an entertaining and fully committed game, which was, well refereed by Derek English of Durham society.

All of the 16, of the West players involved can be very proud of their performance and the commitment shown in what is arguably one of their tougher fixtures of the season.