West were troubled all day by malfunctioning set-pieces with countless scrums against the head and overthrown lineouts. Despite this Rovers could not build a lead and the door was always open for a match winner.

The rain of the past week had been replaced by warm sunshine and the Brinkburn surface was in remarkably good condition considering the recent weather. Andrew Foreman was fit to start at scrum half for Rovers with brother Gareth moving to wing. The expected return of Alex Barker was delayed with Tommy Barff replacing him on the West bench.

The early pressure belonged to West. After a long chase by Hodgson earned a scrum in the visitors 22, Darren Thomas pushed a kick into the corner where Martin Todd was just beaten to the touchdown. Referee Paul Candlish awarded a couple of early penalties which allowed Michael Walton to clear long for Rovers.

Earlier in the season West had all too often seen their scrum back-pedalling but the early signs were good with two big pushes causing the Rovers eight some problems. Walton moved play inside the home 22 with another excellent kick but a mistake at the resulting lineout was costly and when a few punches were traded at a ruck Rovers’ captain Mark Power was on the wrong end of the decision and Davy Tighe cleared.

Rovers playmaker Andrew Foreman had been distinctly quiet in the Boxing Day meeting but on 20 minutes showed what he can do with a great break from inside his own half. After beating full-back Phil Wallis it looked like he would score but opposite number Thomas raced back to make a superb try-saving tackle and also force a knock-on.

West were struggling to mount any sort of attack due to the lack of ball from set-pieces. A put-in at the scrum was far from guaranteed possession and the lineout was also not producing anything of quality for the half-backs to work with. The penalty count against West was also mounting but crucially they had still conceded no points. It took until the 35th minute for Gareth Foreman to break the deadlock with a penalty after Henry Tones handled in a ruck. Four minutes later he tried to extend the lead with a long range effort but it went wide.

The half time team talk in the West camp would have been to cut out the penalties and sort out the set pieces, but they could also be relieved to only be three points behind. On the other side Rovers would have to be a little disappointed with the size of their lead having had so much of the ball during the first 40 minutes. They made a positional change moving Andrew Foreman to centre bringing brother Gareth to scrum half with Paul Kirton moving to the wing.

West got just the start they would have wanted when after a skied box kick from Foreman, Allan Milne was tackled without the ball and Tighe made no mistake with a 30 metre penalty. The home side continued to press but could not add to their points tally and after 51 minutes it was Rovers who would get the first try of the game. After a rolling maul inside the West 22 the ball was moved along the backline. It looked like the move had come to an end when Andrew Lilley was tackled but he stayed on his feet well and popped the ball on to Brian Foreman who dove over in the corner. Brother Gareth missed a tough conversion.

Having brought Geritz on for Ryan Phillips earlier West made a second change with Tommy Barff replacing Wallis, Todd moving from wing to full-back. Within a few minutes of coming on Barff was called into defensive duty. Lilley beat him down the wing but Todd managed to get across and bring him down. But as the ball was recycled West were caught offside in midfield leaving a simple penalty for Gareth Foreman. With a two score lead and less than 20 minutes to go it looked a long way back for the hosts.

With time ticking on West made their final change bringing Phil Henderson on for Tones moving Rudd to the back row. This change seemed to help things in the lineout and finally West looked like putting their visitors under some pressure. With 73 minutes on the clock the game was back on following a try created by Thomas. Popping up out wide he chipped ahead and put pressure on the covering Walton. As he picked up the ball Thomas made a great tackle forcing the ball loose in the in-goal area. A following up Jon Boatman seized on it to score right in the corner. Tighe went close with the touchline conversion but it was set up for another tight finish. Rovers had a 3 point lead with just over 5 minutes to go and a few minutes of injury time.

It was starting to feel like the October game again with West needing to produce another last gasp effort to rescue the game. Tommy Barff made a break down the wing but was stopped short and as he threw the ball inside Rovers cleaned up and cleared. The home side refused to lie down though and after a penalty on half way Tighe found a long touch to set up one final surge for a winner. The forwards drove on and several runs were stopped short. Eventually the ball came down the line and Andrew Hare dummied to the outside and looked for the line. A last ditch tackle came in forcing him on to his back but he managed to roll over and get the ball down in the corner to send the West fans and players wild. The Rovers side looked understandably dejected as Tighe’s conversion missed and the full-time whistle blew.

West can hardly be pleased with the performance but the result is what counts and add that to a clean sweep over Rovers this season the victory will be even sweeter. The Friaragemen will undoubtedly be disappointed but can take heart with their league position and look to make amends next season.



West: Wallis (Barff 60), Todd, Hodgson, Milne, Hare, Tighe (c), Thomas, Cullinane, Carr, Phillips (Geritz 51), Rudd, Davies, J Boatman, Tones (Henderson 72), Sawyer.

Tries: J Boatman, Hare
Pen: Tighe

Rovers: B Foreman, G Foreman, Kirton, Ritherford, Lilley, Walton, A Foreman, Langston, Nicholls, Carroll, Power (c), S Hall, Ryder, Wallis, Charlton
Reps: P Hall, Wrigley, Todd

Tries: B Foreman
Pens: G Foreman 2

Referee: Paul Candlish (Durham)


Also we move up in the table following todays other results:

ALNWICK 23 10 MORPETH
DRIFFIELD 13 19 WESTOE
HORDEN 22 3 STOCKTON
MALTON & N. 36 10 REDCAR
SANDAL 14 40 HUDDERSFIELD

We are now in 7th one place and four points behind Rovers.