Inspired by player coach, and former Australia centre, Cooper Vuna the home backs scored the majority of the tries seemingly unaffected by Storm Malik. 

Vuna didn't exert himself a lot  - apart from when he flattened Ryan Painter as the West skipper was taking a tap penalty. "Not ten" was  the verdict but there could have been a card.

Apart from that the former Newcastle Falcons winger ran the midfield. He regularly brought in runners who made the most of their possession  despite some hard tackling - notably from Will Hildiitch and Matt Siddle in the centre.

Northern said their preparation for the game had been ideal with 30 out at training on Thursday, and it showed.

We once again arrived in some disarray. Jake Linighan, Liam Bailey, and Scott Butcher were missing from the regular starting XV, and we were further  hampered when Ollie Connolly went down with a stomach bug on the morning. That left just two on the bench with Stu Waites starting at fly half.

Danny Cookland had already cried off after injuring his back to delay his comeback with Andrew Turner grateful, in a sense,  for the opportunity to go on the bench for his first outing since his ankle operation. 

Jimmy Tyers and Craig Hadwen once again manfully took on the second row job.

The pack did hold its own and the backs did score two decent first half tries. The first came from Lewis Scott (above) as he chased down a grubber kick from Sam Heron, and the second from Matt Siddle who intercepted just inside the Northern half to race home.

Sadly, that was just about all we had to celebrate with a final blow coming at the end of the game when Adam Brown, once again leading from the front in the unaccustomed No.8 shirt, popped his shoulder and expects to be out for several weeks. 

On the road again next week to take on Rockcliff in Whitley Bay. They lost at home to Rovers 10-8.

Northern: Theo Aubrey,John Tuck, Nathan Whitworth, Cooper Vuna, Murray Brown, Rob Griffin, Ali Gray, David Lyall, Ben Smallwood, Rob Liley, Ben Dalton, Tom White, William Hodgson, Tom McCullough, Rob Lenderyou.

Reps: (all used); Sam Wilson, William Atkin, Matt Dockey

West: Sam Heron, Owen Westhorp, Will Hilditch, Matt Siddle, Lewis Scott, Stu Waites, Ryan Painter (capt), Adam Coates, Aidan Jackson-Smith, Adam Hutchinson,  Craig Hadwen, James Tyers, Chris Atkins, Tom Robertson, Adam Brown.

Reps: (both used): Alex Barker, Andy Turner.