Westoe off to winning start
LIVERPOOL ST HELENS 16 WESTOE 29
WESTOE began their North One campaign with the win they dearly wanted, but not in the style they had hoped.
Gareth Nesbit's men blew hot and cold and never did manage to dominate spirited and tenacious opponents.
But they made the long trip back to Wood Terrace with two points in the bag with which to launch their avowed promotion bid, having outscored the Merseysiders by four tries to one.
It was the first time the Shieldsmen, always compelled to play their opening game away from home due to the fixtures clash with their cricketing brethren, had got off to a winning start in the three seasons since winning promotion.
The sprightly newcomers to the league – who lost only their final game in North Two (West) last season – went 10-0 up after just six minutes.
Scrum-half Simon Worsley kicked a 35-yard penalty and then converted a splendidly-worked try which began midway on the left wing, and ended when full-back Dave Birch touched down on the right with no defender anywhere near.
Still under the cosh, Westoe just managed to stifle a similar attack and then watched in grim relief as a second penalty kick was just off target.
Their small band of followers at last had something to cheer when a powerful maul into the home team 22 led to a David Haswell break, his precise off-load enabling fellow centre Johan Saaiman to burst through two defenders to touch down between the posts.
But they stared in near disbelieve when winger Sam Furbank lined up the conversion just 10m out and had his kick charged down, a rare event indeed.
Then, to add to their woe, Worsley kicked another penalty, after which Westoe's forwards powered their way over the goal line, only for the ball to be knocked-on.
At last, a Saaiman penalty reduced arrears on the brink of half-time, immediately after which came the best move of the game when winger Graeme Haswell grasped a looping loose ball and sped 50 yards, dodging three St Helens men, to score, Saaiman converting.
Worsley kicked a third penalty, but the guileful Haswell launched another attack which ended when a fine pass by replacement winger James Fitzpatrick found Saaiman – undisputedly the man of the match – who again had the speed and strength to touch down, converting himself.
And the Springbok took his personal points tally to 19 when he converted after replacement prop Raymie Elliott crashed over through a wall of defenders after a series of forward surges in the last action of the game.
Afterwards Nesbit said: "It was not a vintage performance and there were faults that can, and will, be put right.
"It's never easy at this level to win away from home, but we were determined to come away with two points and we did, so it's hardly a gloomy outcome.
"Even after the poor start I never doubted we would pull the game around. We plugged away, and in the end we got there."
* A strong Development Team had a splendid start to their Candy League campaign by vanquishing host side Sunderland Seconds 60-3 with a 10-try demolition act.
Tries were scored by John Thompson, Richie Schofield, John Irwin (two each), Craig Olugbode, Steffan Spence, Bob Lamb and Gareth Carey who also kicked five conversions.
* The Vic Young-sponsored Senators' Northumberland 3B League game was conceded when Ashington were unable to field a side.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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