With regular back rows Jay Corbett and Alex Barker already missing through injury, it meant a move to hooker for No. 8 Adam Brown with Connor McLurg coming on to have a fine 70 minutes.
Hard tackling kept us in the game with Stockton restricted to a penalty from former Newcastle Falcons and Exeter fly half Steve Jones, who also sent in winger Steve Bartliff in for an unconverted try.
We turned round just 8-0 down. However, we had to wait more than fifteen minutes for the opportunity to see what we could do with the more favourable conditions after exchange referee Craig Brown (pictured), from Maryland in the USA, injured a calf immediately after the restart.
Durham Society referee Paul Musgrave, who had officiated at the earlier Stockton Vets v West Vets game (we lost 27-21) put his gear back on to finish the league game.
On the restart Stu Waites failed to get his side on the scoreboard with an ambitious penalty from close to half way line, but the deadlock was broken two minutes later when we quickly moved a penalty for a high tackle.

Isaac Robinson made a short swift break to get Stockton on the back foot, and the ball was moved left where prop Danny Cookland crashed over (above) for his first try on his return to the club.
Waites converted and his side kept up the pressure with most of the play in the home half.
Winger Callum Johnston made a 30 metre break up the left and Stockton were penalised fro a high tackle as he was brought down. The kick to the corner was perfect, but the line-out throw was judged to have been not straight and the chance was lost.
With John Bunter on at the break for the injured Joe Rafferty, we then lost back row Chris Atkins to the sin-bin for handling on the floor.

While he was having an enforced rest the visitors took the lead. Centre Peter Youll, voted our Man of the Match by Stockton,  shrugging off a tackle (above) to burst through the middle. With top try scorer Will Hilditch on his shoulder, he drew full back Jonny Horner to send his teammate under the posts to give us a six point lead.

It wasn’t to last as Steve Jones once again showed his pedigree - popping the ball up for centre Steve Tampin to cut a good line to go under the posts.
We came back one again and the pressure eventually told with just two minutes left on the clock.
Jake Linighan took the ball towards the back of a line out on the home 22 stepping inside one tackle to find Danny Cookland in support.

He powered forward with Ryan Painter collecting with a determined burst for the line, and when he was held up just short his back of the hand pass sent in Adam Brown who forced his way over inches from the flag (above) - Stu Waites adding the conversion from the touchline.
The player coach’s next contribution was a 50 metre kick, which gave us a line-out in the opposite corner and the chance for the try bonus point we'd achieved in every other game so far.
It wasn’t to be as Mr Musgrave again ruled the throw was not straight. It was of  little concern to the Brinkburn faithful as they celebrated a hard fought win.

Stockton: Jonny Horner, Simon Crozier, Joe Hargreaves, Steve Tampin, Steve Bartliff, Steve Jones, Rob Green, Mark Conway, Dan Muirhead, Reece McHugh, Jonny Cheetham, Steve Taylor, Charlie Doherty, Liam Healey, Scott Powell.
Tres (all used): Tom Nelson, Lewis Grey, Ben Costello.
Tries: Bartliff, Tampin.
Cons. Jones (1)
Pens: Jones (1)
Yellow: McHugh.

West: Zac Southern Adam Peacock, Will Hilditch, Peter Youll, Callum Johnston, Stuart Waites, Ryan Painter (capt), Adam Coates, Andrew Rollins, Danny Cookland, Jake Linighan, Joe Rafferty, Issac Robinson, Chris Atkins, Adam Brown.
Reps (all used): Connor McLurg, John Bunter, Liam Rutherford.
Tries: Cookland, Hilditch, Brown.
Cons: Waites (3)
Yellow: Atkins
Referee: Craig Brown (Potomac Society, USA) and Paul Musgrave (Durham)

Pix by Kathryn Waites