Having only managed 2 wins in the opening half of the season it was always going to be a tough ask against a Driffield side competing hard for promotion - the visitors arriving just a point behind leaders Morley. Despite our lack of victories we have competed well in most games so far, invariably against much bigger sides and at home our 3 losses have been narrow ones by just by 8, 4 and 12 points. This game, however, was a very different story, a mismatch between the two teams with Driffield simply overpowering us and ruthlessly capitalising on every mistake.

 Selection issues have dogged almost every game this campaign and so it was again with Adam Coates a late injury victim meaning Craig Hadwen had to step up from the bench and James Tyres fill the final replacement spot.

 For the first two minutes of the game everything went well. We were immediately on the attack thanks to an early penalty kicked to the corner and after a solid catch and drive Ryan Painter worked his way over the line in the right corner. Stu Waites conversion came back off the post but we had the first score and an early lead.

 It would be pretty short-lived though and it didn’t take long to realise the sort of afternoon we were in for when Driffield responded with two tries in as many minutes - centre Ben Dinsdale breaking tackles at will and the pace and power of the visiting ball carriers too much for our defence to cope with. With just 13 minutes played they added a third try and looked like running away with it before half-time.

 Thankfully we did calm things down for a period and some good pressure in the right corner eventually led to a rolling maul getting to the line and Ben Armstrong touching down. It was a much needed spell of 10 minutes or so possession but, as good teams often do, Driffield were punishing any mistake we made and an overthrown lineout inside our own half resulted in a fourth try after number eight Adam Brankley burst through more tackles on his way to the line.

 Things went from bad to worse when Waites suffered a shoulder injury making a covering tackle. The injury looked quite serious with the player coach taking a while to leave the field and given his history of shoulder related injuries we can only hope the prognosis is not too bad.

 The resulting scrum led to another Driffield score and to round the half off when we knocked on while attacking in the visitor’s 22 they punished us again, all too easily running the ball all the way up-field to score under the posts.

 The second half brought no change in fortunes with another dropped ball just 6 minutes in ending up in a try conceded moments later and the theme continued as we just couldn’t stem the tide once Driffield got on the front foot.

 Will Hilditch had worked typically hard but he was forced off with injury just after the hour mark and with the bench emptied due to earlier injuries we were left to play the game out with 14 men. That would soon become 13 when frustrations began to show and Ryan Painter was shown a yellow card for his reaction to a penalty decision. 

 There was no let up in the Driffield scoring and aside from one attack in the last few minutes we barely threatened adding to our first half tries. The visitors finished up with 11 tries and 12 points from the boot of scrum half James Watts. 

 This game and scoreline represents a significant low in terms of home performances in recent years and sitting 18 points from safety already, relegation back to Durham Northumberland One now looks likely. We head into the Christmas break with the traditional Boxing Day derby against Rovers to look forward to. With both teams on a poor run of form having lost their last 5 games, it should provide a welcome distraction from league action for both sets of players and supporters.

West: Ollie Connolly, Zac Southern, Will Hilditch, Peter Youll, Lewis Scott, Stu Waites, Ryan Painter (captain), Liam Pennick, Andrew Rollins, Craig Hadwen,, Jake Linighan, Cameron Mould, Adam Brown, Ben Armstrong, Chris Atkins.

Reps (all used): James Tyers, Callum Johnston, Joe Willis.

Tries: Painter, Armstrong

Yellow: Painter

Driffield: Ryan Longville, Ben Blacker, Ben Dinsdale, Reuben Kelly, Will Davies, Sam Furbank, James Watts, Dan Malling, Guy Brumfield, Henry Furbank, James Dinsdale, Alex Cullen, Matthew Jenkinson, Kyle Turner, Adam Brankley (capt).

Reps (all used): Joe Robinson, Sam Robson, Jack Sowersby.

Tries: B. Dinsdale (3), Brankley (2), J. Dinsdale, S. Furbank, Longville, Watts (2), Robinson.,

Cons: Watts (6) 

Referee: Revis Phillips [Durham Society]