The defeat sees West slip to sixth place in the league but there was better luck for the club’s other two teams. The Stags beating Morpeth Reivers 19-12 in CaNDY Division One and the Bucks winning 47-24 at Hartlepool Thirds in CaNDY Three.

The first team were  bolstered by the return of skipper Chris Atkins, winger Max Tennant and flanker Isaac Robinson who was voted his side’s Man of the Match.

And they  got off to the best possible start after just four minutes  with a powerful  burst up the left by Andrew Rollins finished off by Charlie Kay (above). Jobe Roxby adding the extras.

Morpeth opened their account with a penalty in front of the posts from full-back Jake McKay,  only for West’s  lead to be quickly restored with  a successful penalty from Roxby.

Back came Morpeth and their backs looked  sharp and they spread the West defence  -finally creating space on the right for centre Alex Tait to go over in the scoreboard corner.  

McKay’s conversion attempt in to the wind was wide,  but both he and Roxby continued to put on a fine display of goal kicking. The home fly-half taking the score to 13-8 before McKay made it 13-11 after 25 minutes.

It was Roxby’s turn on the half-hour to give his side a five point lead and that was increased with a fine try from Sam Knight above). Scrum half Matt Siddle was the architect  as he  raced through a gap on the left finding the West full back coming into the Morpeth  22 at pace,  and with the skill and momentum to  outfox the covering McKay.

Roxby’s successful conversion took his side's points tally to 23. However, that was to be as good as it got with West's failure to add any more points in the remaining 50 minutes the hot topic for the coaches in the coming week.

There were chances for West. Siddle breaking clear only for play to be brought back for a ascrum to West. Then an option to take a penalty just before the break was turned down in favour of a scrum but Morpeth were able to clear. In between, McKay had taken the half-time score to 23-14 with another penalty.

 Immediately after the break West looked determined to add to their score. Roxby hit the post with  a penalty from just inside  the visitor’s half,  then Will Hilditch was just stopped after Connolly created space on the right.

Having survived that pressure, and with the wind behind them,   Morpeth began to impose themselves on the game and finally got their reward after 56 minutes  with impressive back row Elliott Clark unstoppable from ten metres. He went in under the posts to reduce the margin to just two points.

Max Tennant, last season’s top-try scorer, and back on the West left wing after early season injuries, did finally get a chance to run at the opposition but was tackled into touch. Then  Roxby  hit the post for the second time with a penalty attempt.

However, Morpeth  continued to look the more likely and they finally got their reward with a swift backs move forcing West to defend frantically just ten meters out.

Will Hilditch put in a try-saving tackle but Referee Andy Black ruled it was high. With Aidan Jackson-Smith down being treated for an ankle injury,  it seemed to take an age for penalty try to be awarded. When it was,  Matt Siddle was the bemused player to be sin-binned. However, Hilditch did leave the field to make way for Hayden Hodgson to come on as hooker for the injured Jackson-Smith.

Morpeth were in the lead for the first time in the game at 23-28. There was still six minutes, plus what proved to be more than ten minutes of added time, for West to regain the lead.

But down to 14 and with Morpeth’s tails up, they quickly succumbed to two more tries. The first from replacement Cade Whitfield securing a try-bonus point - another two minutes later from winger Nathan Arkle finishing things off.

West have now lost four of their opening seven games. In the three of those they built up a lead  only to lose it in the second half with Morpeth following Keswick in showing how to manage the full 80 minutes.

There’s now a week off before a trip to a Consett side now bolstered by some overseas imports.

West: Sam Knight, Will Hilditch, Ollie Connolly, Peter Youll, Max Tenannt, Jobe Roxby, Matt Siddle, Liam Pennick, Aidan Jackson-Smith, Andrew Rollins, Nick Bennions, Mauro Rocha, Charlie Kay, Isaac Robinson, Chris Atkins (capt).

Reps (all used): Hayden Hodgson, Matt Baggs, Alex Barker.

Tries: Kay, Knight.

Cons: Roxby (2)

Pens: Roxby (3)

Yellow: Siddle.

Morpeth: Jake McKay, Kieran Smith,Alex Tait, Sam Hornby, Nathan Arkle, Harvey Gilie, Jack Elliott (capt), Tom Leeson, Carl Hill, Theo Gavaghan, Dan Stafford, Ben Jackson, Elliott Clark, Ryan Watson, Ryan Shaw.

Reps (all used); Cade Whitfield, Oliver Haugh, Jake Stevenson.

Tries: Tait, Clark, pen. Try, Whitfield, Arkle.

Cons: McKay (2)

Pens: McKay (3)

Yellow: Shaw

Referee: Andy Black (Durham)