Aspatria dominated many of the scrums and had their share of line-out ball - only to come up against a hard-tackling home side with Connor McLurg and Ollie Connolly leading from the front.
When the visiting attacks broke down West had the skill and the speed to run in six tries, with several vying for try of the season.
The five points move West into 6th place - leapfrogging Consett – but more importantly 11 points clear of the final relegation place with three games to go.
The vital win was achieved by a side wearing their pink strip on Ladies Day. The charity event was also tremendously successful in raising several thousand pounds for breast cancer charities thanks to the hard work of Charlotte Turner and her team.
On the pitch West got off to the worst possible start in front of the ladies who had spilled out of the function room to watch kick off, before being driven back inside by the biting easterly wind and occasional sharp shower.
Aspatria’s kick went out in the corner, but with regular line-out thrower Aidan Jackson-Smith and receiver Jake Linighan missing, the throw was lost with a knock-on giving the big visiting scrum their first opportunity for a big shove. It immediately paid off with prop Jack Gaskell going over to give his side a 5-0 lead.
Fortunately, it took only a few minutes for West to put matters right. Aspatria gave away a a number of penalties in their own 22 with a quick tap from scrum half Matt Baggs allowing Will Corbett to find space to power his way over (above). Ollie Connolly was taking his turn at kicking duties but was wide with a relatively simple attempt.
He had better luck with a penalty on the quarter hour to give his side a lead which they would never relinquish.
A sign of things to come came after the restart with left winger Matt Siddle sending in a cross-field kick, which was taken on the other wing by Lewis Scott who broke clear. Will Hilditch was on the inside with a clear run to the line, unfortunately the pass was just behind him and the chance was lost.
Connolly then missedthe chance to put his side further ahead with his penalty hitting the post, and when the next opportunity arose skipper Painter decided on the kick to the corner.
Liam Pennick had started the game in the unaccustomed role of line-out thrower, and was no doubt still smarting from the damage to his car inflicted as the Aspatria bus driver was trying to park. As a result, Chris Atkins, who normally receives line-out throws, took over his duties . This time it worked successfully with the ball moved along the backs where Painter timed his pass to send in fullback Sam Knight (above). Connolly again unable to convert.
Knight looked like he might score again when he broke form his own half but he couldn’t hold onto the ball.
Aspatrria were still very much in the game. They looked to have their best chance when West stopped an attack as centre Grant Bethwaite kicked through with Lewis Scott just winning the race to touchdown.
However, there were West players in front of Connolly as he took to the goal-line drop out with the West pack having to face their burly opposition in a five- metre scrum. The omens weren’t good , but the scrum held with Aspatria forced to move the ball wide where West’s hard tackling once again stopped them in their tracks.
The BlackReds continued to attack only to run into Connor McLurg in fine form. He not only managed to stop the big second rows he was able to rip the ball as they charged into the 22 and then winning a penalty for his side as the opposition came in at the side.
Having weathered that storm it was Connolly and Adam Hutchinson who combined to send the hooker galloping into the Aspatria half where he put in a magnificent side-step to wrong foot Matt Irving. Painter was in support and able to send in centre Will Hilditch for his first try of the afternoon - with Connolly still struggling to convert as his side ended the half 18-5 in the lead.
The half-time orange looked to have done the trick as he slotted a penalty just after the restart.
With a two score buffer West began to become more adventurous. An excellent kick down the right touchline from second row Will Corbett getting the Aspatria defence in all kinds of trouble as Lewis Scott chased it down. It led to a maul on the try-line with fellow second row Ollie Webster following up and seizing his chance to touchdown as the ball hit the line.
It would have been his first try of the season, but referee Revis Phillips ruled that big Ollie had been offside before the ball hit the line (above). The subsequent discussion leading Mr Phillips to march West back for two 10 metre sanctions.
Webster may have been nonplussed but his teammates weren’t - once again McLurg’s hard tackling achieving the bonus point try. Painter was the beneficiary as the loose ball was snapped up just inside the home 22 and the skipper was able to celebrate what he knew could be an important bonus point.
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The lure of scoring dramatic tries in front of the assembled Ladies Day guests then led to the home side’s fifth of the day. It was another excellent move from the backs. Sam Knight started it with a break which saw Connolly in space and his clever reverse ball to Painter saw a gap open up with Hilditch the man to gleefully milk the applause from the clubhouse terrace (left). Connolly further rewarding them with a successful conversion. Ollie had worse luck as Aspatria came back with excellent West defence again stopping them on the line and giving the West centre the opportunity for another goal-line drop-out. |
Unfortunately it went straight into touch, and from this five-metre scrum under the posts Aspatria were not going to mess up again. Adam Cavanagh crossing and full back Matt Irving adding the extras.
West winger Lewis Scott may have been hoping for an early substitution as he had to catch a flight to join Aidan Jackson-Smith and Max Tennant on a ski trip. However, he stayed on for the duration and capped things off with one of his trademark flying scores in the right corner (above). It came after yet more hard tackling produced a dropped ball which Painter picked up to send Hilditch away and he sent Scott racing in from the 22 for that spectacular finish.
Two weeks off before the trip to second placed Northern. Hopefully there will be a few lads available again for that one as shortage of numbers this week led to the Stags game at Wensleydale having to be called off. That did give the coaches the opportunity to blood 17-year-old Kai Peirse who came onto the left wing for the last ten minutes to become the 39th player to feature in the league this season.
West: Sam Knight, Lewis Scott , Will Hilditch, Ollie Connolly, Matt Siddle, Ryan Painter (capt), Matt Baggs, Liam Pennick, Adam Hutchinson, Jack Angus, Ollie Webster, Will Corbett, Connor McLurg, Isaac Robinson, Chris Atkins.
Reps (all used); Tim Blades, Josh Wilson, Kai Peirse.
Tries: Corbett, Knight, Hilditch (2), Painter, Scott.
Cons: Connolly
Pens: Connolly (2)
Aspatria: Matt Irving, Joe Humes, Grant Bethwaite, Heinrich Jonker, Ross Barton, Mark Watson, Alex Barton, Arran Sullivan, Adam Cavanagh, Jack Gaskell (capt), Tom Gardner, Riley Thwaites, Phil Dixon, Lewis Barwise, Matt Atkinson.
Reps (all used); Jack Clegg, Greg Dickinson, Luke Jackson.
Tries: Gaskell, Cavanagh.
Con: Irving.
Referee: Revis Phillips (Durham).