After a shaky start to life in English rugby's upper echelons, Gareth Nesbit's men have now won four of their last five games and are playing with purpose and panache.

Nimble newcomers who arrived at the start of the National 2 North campaign to join the successful and well seasoned home-grown corps were always going to ensure that the Shieldsmen would be an exciting and effective attacking force.

And this was the sixth time – three away from home – that Westoe have earned the four-try bonus point.

It was laxity in defence which was the cause of concern, blemishes turning at least two should-be victories into defeats.

While those anxieties have not been totally annulled, at least the rearguard now seems to be of sterner stuff.

Director of rugby Andy Howells believes that improved recent results are because the residents and arrivals are now gelling. And that this classy performance at Huddersfield supports that view.

He declared: "I am over the moon at the way the team is now coming together.

"Players and coaches have worked hard to achieve this. It was never going to happen overnight."

At times, he said, the defence was "simply superb", even though three tries were conceded, the last in the dying seconds after a sustained and torrid attack had been staunchly withstood when a yellow card had reduced Westoe to 14 men.

Flanker Aaron Myers was by pretty common assent regarded as man of the match.

Said Howells: "He was quite outstanding. His work rate was remarkable."

He also singled out inside centre Mark Olugbode for the way he marshalled the backs, but stressed that overall it was an accomplished team effort.

Not many sides will come away from Lockwood Park with a win and a bonus point in the bag.

Throughout, Dunes Adventure Island-sponsored Westoe were far more sure-handed and were aided by the home team's unforced errors that led to much loss of possession.

Slick work by the backs brought its reward in the 13th minute when fly-half Charlie Rayner, controlling a juggled ball just in time, went over after the hosts had taken an early lead through a penalty by his opposite number Chris Johnson.

Rayner then converted, as he did all his side's tries.

A fine break by winger James Walker drew the full-back and his off-load enabled centre James Clark to run in his seventh try of the season unmolested.

Then came their only poor period during which scrum-half Damian Clayton and winger Adam Ryder scored for the home team, a Johnson conversion giving them a narrow 15-14 advantage at the interval.

But Westoe came out apparently rejuvenated to quickly reclaim the lead, No8 Michael Ellery darting over from a five-metre ruck, and when Rayner seized an interception to set up a try for Olugbode it was virtually all over.

That last-gasp try by centre Lee Paxman was no more than consolation, though Huddersfield's miserable afternoon was compounded when Johnson missed the conversion that would have given his side a bonus point.

* The Seconds ran in 11 tries in a rampaging 65-3 Candy League win at Durham City.

After a quiet start, in which the hosts took the lead with a penalty, they clicked into gear to put on an irrepressible display.

Tries were scored by winger Laurie Bridgett and scrum-half Michael Booth (two each), flankers Ryan Foster and Haydn Richards, No8 Graeme Smith, prop Nick Whitley, centre Chris Whitelaw, lock John Younghusband and full-back Paul Alexander.

* Cry-offs meant the Thirds went to Alnwick with only 14 men and were further depleted after just five minutes when veteran No8 Steve Frewer limped off with a knee injury.

Although Derek Tighe's men fought bravely, they were beaten 34-5 with winger Glen Firvey scoring a consolation first-half try.

* The spark that the Colts had in the first half – when they ran in three good tries to lead 15-8 – faded after the interval and they went down 31-20 to a strong and determined Wigton side in the Under-18 League clash at Wood Terrace.

Fly-half Ally Ledingham, who kicked four penalties and two conversions, played a crucial role as the visitors took an unrelenting grip on the game.

For Westoe, tries were scored by centre Sam Hughes, full back Richard Burrows, prop Daniel Geach and No8 Michael Thompson.