Former West flanker Alan Brown did show us just what is needed to win games.

The Stockton skipper scored twice himself as the home side took first half advantage of the wind and the slope to run up a 24-0 halftime lead. Despite West pressure in he second half that was the same score at full time.

We were without the experience of Brett Cullinane and Stuart Bennett but had the benefit of John painter’s return to first team action. Both he and Tim Sawyer led from the front but, despite that second half domination, we just didn’t have the guile to get over the line.

Stockton went into 3-0 lead with a Jeremy Good penalty on five minutes, but West more than held their own in the early exchanges with full back Martin Todd looking impressive every time he collected a high kick and ran back at the home side.

The full back set up West’s best attack of the game on the quarter hour. He stopped centre Mattie Oates in his tracks as he broke through the middle. The ball was quickly sped out to winger Andrew Hare who outpaced two defenders before cutting inside to draw full back Graham Kell. West had players in support but Kell was penalised for killing the ball and West’s option to go for a line-out failed when the home defence cleared.

Simon Brown put the home side further ahead on 23 minutes when Peter Hodgson couldn’t collect a kick through. From the maul the prop forced his way over with Good converting.

Five minutes later it was Alan Brown who got his first try when West were pushed off their own put in 15 metres out and the No 8 charged his way over to the line with Good again converting.

He scored again from an almost identical situation after Henry Tones had been sin binned for killing the ball.

West could have had a score just on the break when concerted pressure in the corner saw Anth Carr within inches of the line but he was forced into touch.

West’s half time hope was that their much pacier backs would be able to get them back into the game but Stockton mounted a stern rearguard action.

At one stage they conceded seven penalties in their own 22 with replacements Russell Alderson and Rob Green both in the sin-bin at the same time for killing the ball. But a combination of over enthusiasm and poor decision meant that West couldn’t take advantage.

Skipper Tim Sawyer kept them locked in the dressing room for some time at the end of the game.

Stockton: Graham Kell, Simon Crozier, James Hauxwell, Mattie Oates, Stuart Brown, Jeremy Good, Nicky Poole, Gary Skirving, Danny Muirhead, Simon Brown, Brett Wildridge, Keith Etherington, Phil Austen, Wayne Brown, Alan Brown. Reps: Russell Alderson, Rob Green, Ian Todd.

West: Martin Todd, Dan Abrahams, Peter Hodgson, Paul Moss, Andrew Hare, Phil Wallis, Davy Tighe, John Painter, Tim Sawyer, Anth Carr, Phil Henderson, Carl Miller, Jon Boatman, Henry Tones, Phil Gilbraith. Reps: Darren Thomas, Mark Cholmondeley, Will Richardson.



Yellows Tones [ West] Alderson and Green [Stockton]

Ref Derek Blake Durham