Westoe send out a warning
Darlington 8 Westoe 32 THIS was a clinical, no frills victory which should send a signal throughout North One: Gareth Nesbit and his men mean business.
The league campaign does not begin until Saturday at Liverpool St Helens, but warm-ups do not come more meaningful than this with a major prize at stake.
The win means Westoe stay in the prestigious and potentially lucrative EDF Energy National Trophy for the third year, while Darlington – who before demotion last season from National Three (North) were automatically included – must now compete in the more humble Intermediate competition.
The Shieldsmen's superiority must have sounded alarm bells for opponents, whose recent problems were in part caused by the shameless defection mid-season by some players, followed by the departure of others as the club found itself consigned to a lesser league.
So much for paid-for loyalty.
Westoe will have come home feeling pretty pleased with themselves. Certainly they will not face Darlington in the league with any fears.
Which is not to say there were not start-of-season blemishes and rough edges, but there was, too, a methodical menace, particularly in the forwards, which was present on their better – and winning – days last season.
And this success was achieved with six mainline players missing, so demonstrating the greater playing depth that now exists.
The first choice back row of Jonathon Okwe-Pearson, Graeme Smith and David Bowyer demonstrated what a ruthlessly efficient unit they are. If they can be kept intact, they will pose big problems for any opponent.
How gratifying that sturdy teenager Mark Bentham, one of the Colts being groomed for bigger things, came on as replacement hooker with just a quarter of an hour to go and, utterly unfazed, bulldozed over for the last of his side's five tries deep in extra time.
And when newly-arrived winger Sam Fairbank took over the place kicks in the second half and coolly converted two tries and a penalty, it inspired hope that a worthy replacement to super-kicker Paul Hagan had been found.
Westoe faced a stiff breeze, which at least mollified temperatures in the mid-70s, but took command through two carbon-copy tries in which, following pack pressure, winger Johan Saaiman deftly split the defence to off-load for centre James Fitzpatrick to touch down.
A first-half try by home team captain Lee Richardson, at No 10 his side's best player, and a penalty by centre Alex Lyneton never seemed likely to stem the flow and, after the interval, lock John Younghusband and the ever-belligerent Smith burst over before Benson's brawny bonus rounded off matters.
Nes said afterwards: "We knew it was important to win, so we stepped up the intensity.
"Though there are things still to work on, it was a satisfactory result and a splendid workout for the start of our league campaign."
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Weather for South Shields
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: East
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Sunny
Temperature: 7 C to 17 C
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