West 25 Northern 5

By Dave Picken - November 24 2003
West 25 Northern 5
Chocky
What a great rugby day. England win the World Cup and the Firsts get back on track with a four try victory against a game Northern. Chocky is man of the match and scores on his return, Steve Black gets his first try and John Painter returns to lead the Stags to their first victory by 34-0.

Phil Webber would have loved the day. Instead his son Neil and daughter Kirsten were in the crowd to observe a one minute's silence with both West teams wearing black armbands. Phil's funeral is at St Luke's on Tuesday lunchtime.

Northern came rooted to the bottom of the table and seemingly struggling on their arrival in North Two East. But they possessed a very lively sets of backs which made for an entertaining game in very strange light.

A blanket of grey crowd with a tantalising ribbon of blue away to the west made it difficult to see what was going on at the other end of the pitch.

It didn't stop Davy Tighe kicking a 40 metre penalty in the first minute, or Phil Wallis sending a dangerous looking Peter Hodgson over for the first try. In between the Northern full back had followed up a long break to pick up a loose ball and score their only points of the afternoon.

We gradually got on top with Steve Black finishing off a great dart from Davy Tighe in the first half and then Chocky came off the back of a maul to power over.

Allan Milne spoptted gap and left the defenders for dead to finish it off. Davy converted thois one but had hard luck with his other conversion all near the touch line.

The Stags won their first game with John Painter earning the admiration from all of the young players. He was alonsgide Chummer in the front row and with Gilbraith in the back row, and Mullen in the backs, this was a stronger looking line up from the off.

John had turned up saying his retirement from the game might have been a bit premature and he fancied a run out. He could well be back after admitting he thoroughly enjoyed himself and praising the young talent which is coming through.

West Martin Todd [Darren Thomas 60], Steve Black, Peter Hodgson, Allan Milne, Andrew Hare, Philip Wallis, Davy Tighe, Anthony Carr [Stu Bennett 40], Brett Cullinane, Carl Robinson, Carl Miller, Andrew Davies, Paul Rudd [Michael Geritz 60], Henry Tones, Tim Sawyer [capt].

Reps: Michael Geritz, Stu Bennett, Darren Thomas.

Northern Stephen Kay, Matthew Jinks, Gib MacMillan, Adam Bindman, Chris Baker, Ben Simpson, David Kay, Richard Sparks, Greg Lutton, Brian Neill, Alan Douglas, Andy Shippen, Ian Pearson, Gordon Smith, Simon Harrison.

Reps: Neil Hart, Martin Johnson, Oliver Ward.

Referee: Mike Hodgson [Durham].