After the game Mowden Coach Kevan Olliphant was presented with a painting showing him in action during his days at West.

He had to withdraw at the last minute with Gez Geritz stepping in and going on to have one of his best games for the club.

Allan Milne also turned up to reveal that he has actually broken a bone at the bottom of his shin and will be out for at least six weeks. He played most of last week's game with the injury.

But West were able to field lively winger Elom Lassey. He came up through the West junior ranks and is back home from University in London.

Sadly Enos, and Tommy Barff on the other wing, got little chance to strut their stuff. Only for one ten minute spell in the second half did we look like scoring a try.

Mowden began with some pace, doubtless spurred on by the fact that we should have beaten them at Yiewsley Drive.

Kevan Olliphant is still a class act and he set up Chris Strong for the the first try on six minutes. We came back with the first of Stabs's superb penalties before Micky Kent, easily the most dangerous player on the park, scored Mowden's second on 23 minutes to make it 3-10.

We were getting back into the game, and keeping Mowden in their half, with teenage scrum half Darren Thomas giving the highly rated Richard Holbrough a hard time.

Our pressure forced Mowden to concede penalties on 27, 31 and 37 minutes and so we turned round 12-10 in front at half time.

We started the second half desperately looking for the try which would have rocked Mowden. The forwards were camped in their 22 for the first ten minuites, but a combination of giving away penalties and stout defence denied us. The forwards did get what looked like a pushover in the corner but they'd forgotten to take the ball with them.

We were made to pay for not being able to convert possession into points when Mowden broke back up the pitch and Ollie send a looping pass to send in Strong between Kerr and Barff.

On 65 minutes Stabs got his fifth penalty as Mowden were again judged to be offside and at 15-20 we were in with a shout.

A simmering dispute in the line out erupeted when Chocky Davies was barged for the umpteenth time and he lost his cool raining some blows in the direction of Richard Mangles. Chocky had earlier twisted his ankle after being taken out unfairly, and has a nasty looking lump on his foot to prove it, but he must count himslef lucky to have received only a yellow. Mangles was also sin-binned and we got the penalty.

Fortunately, that was the only unsavoury incident in a match which had a slight end of season feel about it. However, John Stabler has some apologising to do to his mother. After tripping while chasing a kick he banged his head and was ruefully rubbing the sore spot when Edie gave the ref the benefit of her years of rugby watching. Stabs looked up and barked "Shut Up Mother!" which had the crowd, and Edie, in fits of laughter.

We weren't laughing on 75 minutes though when Mowden deservedly wrapped the game up with a push over try which was converted to make the final score 15-27.

Once again we competed well with a patched up side with good solid performances right across the pitch. We might yet face Mowden again in the cup. First we need to beat Consett on Tuesday night and, if we do, we'll be away at Darlington the following Tuesday.

West 15 Phil Cuff 14 Elom Lassey 13 Gareth Kerr 12 Jamie Connolly [capt] 11 Tommy Barff 10 John Stabler 9 Darren Thomas 1 Michael Geritz 2 Brett Culllinane 3 Michael Cook [ Carl Robinson 60] 4 Mark Baggs [Paul Rudd 20] 5 Andrew Davies 6 Tim Sawyer 7 Dan Wright 8 Stu Bennett 16 Paul Rudd 17 Carl Robinson 18 Marh Cholmondeley Geritz 19 Henry Tones

Mowden Park 15 Mark Bedworth 14 Chris Mattison 13 Chris Strong 12 Micky Kerr 11 Steve Jones 10 Kevan Olliphant 9 Richard Holbrough 1 Ian Keeligam 2 Matt Hall 3 Dave Sinclair 4 Johnny Marsden 5 Richard Mangles 6 Johnny Boatman 7 Darren McKinnon 8 Tim Wilks 16 James Isaacson 17 Danny Brown 18 Del Russell 19 Mark Wilkinson