With Jon Norris and Sean Cairns unavailable, and Arun Gupta injured, and available only as an emergency front-row replacement, a lot was being asked of a West pack, especially the front-row, which would have to play through the full game.

West started positively, creating a series of problems for the Foresters’ defence, and after five minutes Stephen Short crossed in the corner for the first try of the match. Tom Dixon converted impressively from the corner, and when he followed this with a penalty a few minutes later, West had assumed a clear early lead. West continued to dominate, although Wharfedale did miss two kickable penalties (a warning of what was to come), and it was no surprise when they added to their lead. A superb move, involving over half the team, culminated in full-back James Evens going over, with Dixon again converting from out wide. This try meant that thirteen different players have now scored for the team this season, emphasising the strengths of their all-round game. At the end of the half another fine move, with quick ball from a ruck spinning out at speed along the backs, created the space for Chris Lambert to run half the length of the pitch for a spectacular try. Dixon again converted to give West a 24-0 half-time lead.

The second half continued as before, and after ten minutes flanker Tom Barker went over under the posts, and Dixon converted again. Wharfedale hit back quickly with a try, and then began to use their substitutes, especially in the forwards, presaging a strange period of play which took place almost exclusively in West’s 22. For nearly fifteen minutes West seemed to be playing ‘let’s practice defending penalties’ as the fresh Wharfedale pack piled on the pressure. The ref would award a penalty, West would win the ball, the ref awarded another penalty. The loop repeated itself, and eventually Wharfedale pulled back another try to make it 31-12. The absences of forward replacements was beginning to tell, but they reasserted themselves and pushed Wharfedale back, allowing Stephen Short to score again in the right-hand corner. That try finished the game, and although Wharfedale scored another near the end, West finshed well to end the game convincing 36-17 victors. An excellent performance.