Tthe opening exchanges in the first half were once again dominated by West. We presseied into their 22 and took the lead on 7 minutes when Davy Tighe slotted a penlaty in front of the posts after the vistors were penalised for killing the ball.

But the league's top goal kicker, full back Gary Bell, then struck two long range penalties on 13 and 16 minutes before davy equalised with another short range effort on 21 mins. He the put us into the lead after 25 minutes.

At this stage it was no more than we deserved. Chocky Davies was in outstanding form and the pack was standing up to the busy hard working Macclesfield forwards in the loose - even if we were getting shoved back in the scrums.

Darren Thomas and Davy Tighe are becoming a better half back combination as each week goes by and with Jamie Connolly relinquishing the cpataincy to John Painter his game he was able to concentrate on his game.

As a result we looked more threatening in the backs than of late and, for once, both wingers saw some ball. Quick recycling saw Glyn Dono in space on the left and he set off on a gallop from 30 metres out. He had options outside but was warapped up outside.

Then Tommy Barff raced round his marker on the right and put in a clever chip but the bounce juts favoured Bell who managed to clear.

It looked promising for the second half but Macclesfield's extra muscle in the pack showed in the second half.

With the wind at their backs they went for the percentage game and young stand off Ben Coulbeck pulled them level on 42 minutes with a 20 metre drop goalfollowed by a Bell penalty after 45 and anotehr Coulbeck drop goal on 58.

Their pressure further paid off when they scored the only try of the game through winger Myles Mason on 58 minutes. He scored on the right after we were forced to defend in numbers in the opposite corner.

Bell converted and got another penalty on 60 minutes to clinck the points.

We came back in the last quarter but once again found try socring imposible.

The game became increasingly niggly with sub Nick Prest was sin binned on 70 minutes, and then in the dying seconds Jamie Connolly reacted when he was thumped from behind. If he had hit out once the ref might have thought it was a fair reaction, but both Jamie and Andy McClean then exchanged a few blows so both were red carded.

West Hodgson, Barff, Milne, Connolly [capt], Dono, Tighe, Thomas, Painter [Prest 60], Cullinane, Robinson, Rudd [White 60], Davies, Tones, Sawyer, Bennett.

Bench: Stabler, Prest, White.

Macclesfield: Gary Bell, Myles Mason, Matt Brown [George Browining 50], Nick Simms, James Watts, Ben Coulbeck, Russ Harper, David Taylor [Oliver Hewitt 50], Iain Taylor, Steve Mannion, Ian Lear, Jeremy Bostock, Tim Kerr, Richard Jones [Jonathon Keep 50], Andy McClean.