West scored six of them, but an impeccable kicking display from Rovers prop Josh Healey kept his side in contention,  and with a few minutes left it looked they might take the game 28-25.

However, Max Tennant, who’d looked eager all afternoon, had other ideas as he scooped up a long pass from Ollie Connolly to cut inside from 15 metres out. He jinked his way through three defenders to touch down beside the posts allowing Zac Southern to slot West’s only successful kick of the day.

Any late drama had looked unlikely as West raced into an early 15-0 lead. Matt Siddle, starting at scrum-half,  got things rolling as he finished from close range after a tremendous 20 metre rolling maul. Fly half Ben Reed took on the kicking duties in his first game in five years, but with all of his attempts out wide he wasn’t able to convert any of his opportunities.

He was closer with his second effort just three minutes later after a lively Sam Knight broke clear up the right. When the full back was finally tackled just short of the line Lewis Scott was there to collect and go over.

Both players didn’t last much longer, although Knight did come back late in the second half. He was replaced by Eldon Myers, who’d also played in the Gingers and Stashers game on the morning alongside brother Aaron and Jonny Boatman - all looking as capable as ever.

Seventeen-year-old Jacob Wood also came on to replace Lewis Scott who was forced to limp off after another run down the wing, while Rovers were able to bringl on Championship player Josh Bragman at fly-half.

His play-making skills began to even things up a little but not before skipper Chris Atkins had scored West’s third try from a catch and dive,  by which time Myers' cameo was over courtesy of a knee injury..

It was 15-0 with five minutes of the half left but Bragman was able to create two tries wide out on the left. The first came from a deft cross-kick and the second from a long pass with that man Healey reducing the arrears to just one point.

A rejuvenated Rovers took the lead for the first time five minutes into the second half with some strong running down the left ending with a try in the clubhouse corner. Once again Healey nailed the conversion to make it 21-14 to the hosts.

With West running from deep at every opportunity and Rovers looking to muscle their way through the tackles the game was well set-up, although Rovers were increasingly penalised for high tackles.

Matt Siddle was kicking to the corners whenever the opportunity presented itself with West’s fourth try coming from Aidan Jackson-Smith who was the man to touch down as he was driven over from the line-out.

Only one point in it,  but that was quickly stretched to eight as Rovers made ground up the right wing  to force their way over after 55 minutes.

Back came West with Jake Linighan involved in another break up the right with Siddle taking another opportunity from close range (above) as the ball was recycled. Zac Southern was on for Reed, who’d had a promising return to rugby, but he was also narrowly wide with the conversion .

West continued to press with Rovers continuing to be penalised for high tackles with the referee eventually losing patience and sending the loose head prop to the bin.

Siddle earned a big cheer from the visiting support as he tackled Bragman as he tried to kick clear on his own line - the pressure eventually telling when the ball was moved left. Max Tennant coming in off his wing to snap up that long pass from Ollie Connolly. Brother Jake was out wide, instead Max chose to head for the posts dancing passed the first two tackles, and then being strong enough to force his way over to set up West’s one and only conversion of the afternoon.

There was time for a restart. With tensions high and the crowd noisy Charlie Kay was guilty of retaliation after taking a punch and was red-carded. Rovers used the opportunity to go for the corner, but the ball was snaffled and despatched to the embankment with West relieved to retain the Bill Bowden Memorial Trophy.

Not a game for the purist but a whole-hearted one which was worthy of the tradition.

The clubs go again on Saturday when the Stags host the Heughers with a 2.00 pm kick off.