Westoe must plug their leaky defence
WESTOE know they must plug holes in their defence if they are to make an impact at national level.
That is now the urgent priority of the club's director of rugby Andy Howells, his coaches, and captain Gareth Nesbit after lapses contributed greatly to this defeat – just as they did at Caldy in the curtain-raiser a week earlier.
Twice the rearguard seemed to part like the Red Sea to allow Harrogate winger Steve Parsons to zig-zag his way from near the half-way line to beneath the posts.
Afterwards Howells lamented: "We again paid the price for missed tackles.
"We played some good stuff and nobody can be accused of lack of effort, but we must put it all together for the full 80 minutes, which means heightening our concentration levels."
It didn't help, either, that three penalty kicks for goal went awry, and to add to the pain the defeat meant that a proud all-wins home record dating back almost two seasons had ended.
Certainly, Westoe's backs, while never quite matching the menace of their counterparts, brought their own panache to what was an entertaining fast and open game in the warmth of late summer sunshine.
And overall their forwards had the edge, though this was diminished somewhat when deprived of the influential presence of loose head prop Nesbit when he limped off with a damaged knee just after half time.
The team needs him, and it is to be very much hoped that he is fit for the trip to Loughborough Students on Saturday.
It was the Dunes Adventure Island-sponsored Shieldsmen who drew first blood when, after attacking deep in their opponents' territory from the kick-off, they won a scrum against the head, enabling fly-half Charlie Rayner to dodge between two defenders to score and leave himself a routine conversion.
Harrogate retaliated strongly, but though centre Danny McGee kicked a penalty, Westoe defended with vigour and skill.
That was, until the 22nd minute, when the ball was spun to Parsons, who simply carved his way through a host of apparently leaden-footed Westoe men – McGee kicking the first of his three conversions.
Within a minute of the restart the home team had regained the lead with a spectacular try of their own. David Haswell's artful sleight-of-foot sent defenders the wrong way, before he off-loaded to James Clark, who was too fast to be caught, Rayner's kick making it seven points.
Then came Parsons' almost carbon copy second try to give his side a 17-14 lead at the interval.
Westoe had the upper hand for much of the second half, but were unable to break through, while the Yorkshiremen twice turned the tables to score.
On the hour, their pack had one of its rare moments of ascendancy, driving powerfully down the left wing for flanker Neil Spence to touch down.
In the dying minutes, Harrogate broke free, and winger Sam Bottomly secured his side a bonus point for a fourth try.
Between these scores play was help up for 20 minutes while an ambulance was called to take Westoe flanker Ryan Foster, knocked out while attempting a tackle, to hospital for a check-up.
Nesbit said: "For the second week we conceded soft tries, which is especially disappointing because for lengthy periods we defended very well."
* No8 Graham Aldis dove over in the dying moments of the Thirds' Northumberland 2A League clash with hosts Gateshead Seconds – hooker Rob Scorer's conversion leveling scores at 20-20 with the last act of the game.
Fly-half James Walker and scrum-half Aiden Thompson also touched down in what was an encouraging start for captain Derek Tighe's team.
* A predominantly young Fourth XV played attacking open rugby to run in nine tries and beat hosts Houghton 55-29 in their debut game in the Durham Junior League.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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