Despite Horden struggling at the foot of North One East nobody was expecting an easy game and so it proved with the sides battling out a game filled with attacking intent but somewhat lacking in quality.
Andrew Turner had an immediate chance to put Horden in front following a penalty for obstruction from the kick-off but his attempt slid wide. Zac Southern replied with a more straight-forward shot after 8 minutes to give us the lead.
Many thanks to sponsor Anna Campbell [second left] and her hairdressing colleagues and friends for sponsoring the game and for bringing a touch of glamour to the proceedings.
Horden had controlled possession well in the early stages but as the half progressed we grew into the game and were eventually rewarded with the first try. A catch and drive from close range looked to have been snuffed out by the Horden pack but Ryan Painter peeled away unnoticed to dive over for the score.
Neither side was looking fluent in attack but after struggling for possession and territory throughout the middle period of the half Horden gained the ascendency as the half moved into it’s closing stages. The pressure told on 36 minutes as they put together an excellent try, finished off by winger Carl Oliver. It came from a lineout on half-way which, albeit far from straight, was moved quickly wide where the replacement centre bust through a tackle and offloaded well to set former West man Luke Watson away. He kept his composure and after a quick recycling of the ball Oliver was released on the overlap to touch down in the right corner.
We were reeling somewhat and lost Joe Rafferty to the sin-bin for illegally breaking up play after a quick-tap penalty but held on to go into the break ahead 8-5.
Unusually given the size and power of the visiting pack we persisted with the rolling maul as our main attacking option and after numerous failed attempts we finally converted one through Adam Coates with 58 minutes gone. Southern converted superbly from the left touchline but Horden replied quickly with a booming 50 metre penalty from the boot of Turner.
Having defended for such long periods in the second half fatigue and ill discipline began to strike the Horden forwards and referee Carl Hall was not in forgiving mood. He issued 3 yellow cards in the final 15 minutes for a combination of persistent infringements and professional fouls and when Sam Miller scored from another rolling maul with 10 minutes to play it seemed as if the only question would be whether we could go on to secure the four try bonus point.
However, the visitors would have the final say as in our desperation to keep hopes of that bonus point alive we ended up ensuring Horden returned up the Coast Road with their first league point. A wild pass inside to keep the ball from going into touch was pounced on by a Horden player and rather than kick the ball dead they counter-attacked with Oliver racing clear up the wing. Replacement Jordan Baggs got back to make a super tackle just short of the line but he prevented the ball from coming back and referee Hall marched under the posts for a penalty try. The simple conversion from Turner gave his side the losing bonus point.
West: Mallinson, Butcher, Bailey, Youll, Jamieson, Southern, Painter, Pinchen, Rollins, Coates, Bennett, Rafferty, Barker, Atkins, Miller.
Reps: Foreman, Wood, Baggs
Tries: Painter, Coates, Miller
Cons: Southern 2
Pen: Southern
YC: Rafferty
Horden: D Heckles, Brymer, Docherty, Watson, Oliver, Turner, Pelzer, Malcolm, Thompson, Hudson, Gilmour, Walsh, Brown, S Heckles, James.
Tries: Oliver, Penalty
Con: Turner
Pen: Turner
YC: Brymer, Thompson, White, Pelzer
Referee: Carl Hall [Durham Society]