A top four finish is now very much on the cards although regular watchers will know it could, and perhaps should, have been an even more successful first part of the season with three of the four defeats only coming with the last play of the game.
That includes last week’s 26-24 defeat at Keswick where the home supporters praised West’s first half display, when four tries were scored, as the best rugby they’d seen so far this season.
The A66 beckons once again this week as we head to Kirkby Stephen for the rearranged game with Upper Eden. The hosts will have noted last week’s result at their local rivals - especially as the game at Brinkburn in September saw West triumph 73-0 – the biggest win for some time.
Since then Upper Eden have steadied the ship. Last week they leapfrogged Carlisle into 9th place courtesy of a 44-24 home win over their Cumbrian rivals, As a result they are now also ten points above the relegation places.
Despite this being a rearranged game we are still able to field three sides this weekend with the Stags off to Old Boys and the Thirds (Bucks) in a County Cup game at Sunderland.
Top try scorer Max Tennant returns to the first team line-up which will see Matt Siddle at 10 and Sam Knight returning to full back. Ollie Connolly and Will Hilditch form the centre partnership as Peter Youll reprises the back row role he played for Billingham many times.
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Firsts @ Upper Eden Kick off 2.15 |
Stags @ Hartlepool (OBs) Kick off 2.00 |
Bucks Squad @ Sunderland Kick off 2.00 |
| Sam Knight | Adam Johnston | Henderson |
| Lewis Scott | Curtis Ross | Ward |
| Will Hilditch | Jacob Wood | Thompson |
| Ollie Connolly | Greg Edwards | Coates |
| Max Tennant | Dan Foster | Hadwen |
| Matt Siddle | Zac Southern | Collins |
| Ryan Painter (capt) | Matty Baggs | Jukes |
| Jack Angus | Tim Blades | Kemp |
| Aidan Jackson-Smith | Matt Tyers | J Baggs |
| Andrew Rollins | Liam Pennick | Miller |
| Jake Linighan | Anderson | Myers |
| Tom Robertson | Ollie Webster | Butcher |
| Connor McLurg | Martin Todd | Pickering |
| Charlie Kay | Odin Thorpe | Devonshire |
| Peter Youll | Jay Corbett | Lennard |
| Williamson | ||
| Liam Liston | Mike Geritz | J Parker |
| Jonny Boatman | Aaron Muir | Nelson |
| Ben Reed | Kyle Jamieson | Mulcahy |
| Aaron Pike | S Parker | |
| Jay Corbett | Larkin | |
| Cole | ||