Yet again absences affected both teams. West still had Michael Young and Gareth Eddy unavailable, and Tom Dixon injured, and Gavin Robinson was forced to withdraw during the warm-up suffering from flu. Alex Ainsley returned from cycling duties to the back row, with Sean Cairns coming in at second row. James Evens started at stand-off, and Rob Bellerby made his debut at full back.

Dinnington started powerfully, putting West under sustained pressure, and it was no more than they deserved when they took the lead from a rolling maul after ten minutes. The onslaught continued, but West defended well and gradually began to assert themselves. After twenty minutes quick ball from a ruck and some good dummies allowed James Evens to feed outside centre Stephen Short, who powered over for the equalising try. A conversion from Rob Bellerby gave West the lead. It was now West’s turn to apply the pressure, with good handling across the width of the pitch creating space for left wing Luke Austin to go over for a second try. The tension in a what was becoming a see-saw match then rose when, just before half-time another maul saw Dinnington pull a try back to leave West with a 12-10 lead, but now playing against the wind.

The second half maintained the excellence of the first. Both sides were showing good skills, with the absence of knock-ons being noticeable. West were the first to score, when Chris Lambert came in from his wing and chipped over for full back Bellerby to pick up neatly and score. Dinnington then pulled another try back with another rolling maul, only for West to reply with another good passage of passing play which allowed right wing Chris Lambert to outrun the defence and score. Dinnington then converted a penalty, leaving the score at 24-18 with nine minutes left.

The home side maintained their momentum, and strove for that winning score, but west continued to defend well, and clinched the match with another good team move. A Dinnington surge was stopped by good tackling from the West forwards, and flanker Tom Barker came out with the ball. The ball then passed swiftly along the back line, allowing Lambert the space to eventually touch down under the posts. Bellerby’s conversion gave West a final 31-18 victory

This was a superb game between two impressive teams, both well meriting their positions at the top of the table. Our thanks to Dinnington for their hospitality, and their magnaminity in defeat, West now have to avoid losing in one of their two remaining games, at home against Moortown and Morley, to clinch the title.

WEST: Bellerby, Lambert, Short, Dewhirst, Austin, Evens, Dougherty, Forrest, Norris, Greenwell, Robson, Cairns, Ainsley, Barker, Myers, Robinson, Richardson, Murray, Gupta, Wager.