After a fighting win when all members of the team were on top form and giving their all, there was no spark on the field for the duration of the game and City took advantage of this to dominate the match and not really be challenged as they ran in five tries to also gain a winning bonus point.

It was a must win game for the Friaragemen who desperately need to start producing wins to claw their way off the bottom of the table. Having gained an unexpected four points a fortnight ago, beating City, who have a dreadful record at the Friarage, would have maintained our winning momentum.

However the visitors started off strongly and went close to scoring straight from the kick off. On 14 minutes continuous pressure in the Rovers half, eventually told when Paul Armstrong went over from an overlap, Lewis Groves converting.

Rovers were suffering from wrong options, turnovers and poor tackling and a strong run by Peter Dent, put Kenny Reader in at the railway corner. City continued to control the game and powerful pack play in the same corner saw Mike Hay get the scoring touchdown.

Having missed the last two conversions, Groves was on target with two stoppage time penalties with Rovers both times being offside. This gave the visitors a healthy 23-0 half time lead.

The start of the second half saw many opportunities for both sides which were halted by poor kicking and handling.

Rovers fell further behind on 66 minutes when Arnie Stevenson received on the home 22 and he miraculously had a clear run to directly under the posts for Groves to easily convert.

The Whites hit back from the restart with the forwards storming to the line, where sub Glen Wise drove over from close range, Chris Sainty adding a good conversion.

This good work was undone immediately when Rob Smith, aided by some poor defence, ran home, Groves again converting.

Rovers’ afternoon was summed up when they failed to take advantage of City having two men in the sin bin and could not convert severe late pressure into points. Therefore this left the score 37-7 at full time to City.

Next week Old Brodleians are the visitors to the Friarage and hopefully we will reproduce the form shown against Cleckheaton and not dwell on this result.

Rovers: Austwicke, Lilley, Foreman, Coulson, King, Sainty, A Arnell (B Cushlow 53), Tucker, Gregory (Wise 49), Egglestone, A Brown (Sin Bin 45), Thubron (c), Grazier (A Pinchen 41), S Hall, Dring.

Durham City: Smith, Metcalf (Burgess 70), Kirtley, Knowles, Armstrong, Stevenson, Groves, Hay, Young (Parkinson 49), Reader, Dent, Showler (c), Whitfield (Sin Bin 70) (Hand 80), Roberts, Johnson (Sin Bin 77).

Referee: James Brown (Liverpool Society)