Once again we had to rely on the fruits of last season's Academy with a number of players still away or nursing knocks.

Regular locks Linighan and Bunter were both missing so we had to call on two props - Danny Cookland and Adam Brown - to do their work in the engine room. That meant a highly promising start for 18 year Liam Pennick in the front row and fellow Academy graduate Ethan Ledington once again impressing in the back row.

But the biggest bonus was the return to rugby of Liam Bailey. His light blue scrum cap popping up everywhere as he gave a lesson in how to to tackle big grisly forwards.

Half backs Ryan Painter and Stu Waites were back from stag party duty in Berlin, and their contribution was a major factor in how we nullified the threat of the much bigger, and more mature, home pack who secured a decent share of set-piece possession.

But it's what you do with the ball when you you have it that matters, and Waites wasted no time in showing how important his astute rugby brain is to his side. With the benefit of the wind we attacked from the off and he spotted a gap after just two minutes to go in under the posts. Adam Brown and Danny Cookland were proving to be highly mobile second rows - if not the best line-out jumpers - and it was Browny who got our second try on the quarter hour. He finished off in the corner after the forwards had sucked in the opposition with a series of drives from a line-out.

 The home side were stung into action and reduced the arrears to 12-7 after a quick tap in our 22.

With Ben Armstrong on for an injured Will Hilditch, Stu increased the margin to 8 points with a pen before Ryan Painter was yellow carded by experienced ref Revis Phillips for tapping the ball out of his opposite number's hand.

Westoe took advantage with a converted try from a line-out drive, with the West coach adding a long range penalty to make it 18-14 to West at the break.

Some may have thought that the seasoned Westoe forwards would take the game by the scruff of the neck as they turned round with the strong wind at their broad backs.

However, Liam Bailey's mobile and hard tackling band of brothers had other ideas. Westoe did reduce the arrears with a penalty but the next 15 minutes were played almost entirely in the home half.

Our pressure eventually told when the impressive Cookland sped through a narrow gap from 15 yards out - racing round under the posts to restore that eight point lead. That was further increased just after the hour when our pressure once again forced a penalty under the posts. That provided the opportunity for Owen Westhorp to make his debut on the wing, and for Aidan Jackson-Smith and Luke Bage to get some more first team experience in the back row.

 There was a late rally from the home side with the forwards forcing a try next to the posts, but we were able to run the clock down for a well deserved win in our first competitive game of the season.

We will now face Peterlee and Horden in the semi-final, which will be played before the end of January at Brinkburn. Consett beat Stockton in the weekend's other quarter final. 

Westoe: Luke Moffett, Jamie Preston, Jake Arnold, Derek Worthington, Matt Rannigan, Andy Sutherland, Sam Seymour, Ryan Lamb, Raymie Elliot, Louis Kellett, John Younghusband, Andrew Kirton, Sean Ramsay, Sam Gaff

Reps: James Sant, Rob Scorer, Paul Evans, Martin Peter Bengston, Connor Pascoe, Mikel Tate, Scott Oliver.

West: Zac Southern, Adam Peacock, Will Hilditch, Peter Youll, Lewis Scott, Stu Waites, Ryan Painter (capt), Adam Coates, Andrew Rollins, Liam Pennick, Adam Brown, Danny Cookland, Liam Bailey, Ethan Ledington, Chris Atkins. 

Reps: Ben Armstrong, Aidan Jackson-Smith, Matt Siddle, Alex Johnson, Owen Westhorp, Bendan Bulmer, Luke Bage.

Referee: Revis Phillips.