Westoe ready to meet their Waterloo
WESTOE go into battle at Waterloo tomorrow hoping it will confirm that they have turned their fortunes around.
They are anxious to gather momentum after their dramatic last-gasp victory against visitors Broadstreet on Saturday ended a dismal run of five successive defeats.
And captain Gareth Nesbit will urge his squad to forget that Waterloo, with just two wins in 19 games, are anchored to the bottom of National 2 North and seemed doomed to be relegated.
He declared: "They are a proud club with a massive history, and for that reason alone deserve respect. But I am also always wary of opponents who are fighting for their lives."
And though beaten 30-17 at Wood Terrace in October, the Lancastrians gave a pretty good account of themselves, and were in the hunt until a try by centre James Clark settled matters four minutes from time.
The green shoots of injury-ravaged Westoe's recovery were detected at Rugby Lions a fortnight ago when, although beaten 34-22, their old flair and fighting spirit was again evident.
And, although reduced by a red card to 14 men throughout the second half against Broadstreet, they showed never-say-die tenacity rewarded by lock Matthew Muchall crashing over in the last play of the game to snatch victory.
Nesbit said: "What was so encouraging about that try was that almost all the team were involved at some stage during numerous phases, when to have lost possession would have effectively lost us the game.
"It showed that our preparation and organisation were right."
Aided by a four-try bonus point, the win lifted Dunes Adventure Island-sponsored Westoe up three places from fifth bottom, an important step in the primary aim in their first season at National level – survival.
But though they now have an apparently comfortable cushion of 19 points above third bottom Huddersfield – three teams will be relegated – Nesbit was again in cautionary mood.
He said: "Results have been so erratic that nothing can be taken for granted.
"Any team in the league is capable of putting a string of four or five wins together and 20 points or so would send them shooting up the table.
"So until it is mathematically impossible to go down we mustn't relax, and our ambition now must be to lift our game, and rise further up the table."
* DEREK Tighe's Third XV travel to Billingham in the Durham Cup, which they won last year for the fifth time in six years when they beat Horden 21-6 in the final.
The Seconds are also in county cup action against Billingham, who make the trip to South Tyneside.
And it is good to see gutsy flanker Ryan Foster in the seconds' squad after coming back from injury in what has been a nightmare season for him.
Knocked out with a bad head wound in the First XV's home game against Harrogate back in September, his comeback hopes were ruined when he damaged a hamstring in training.
And he then aggravated the hamstring when he did finally return against visitors Hull a month ago.
Everyone will be wishing the amiable Ryan much better luck from now on.
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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
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 7 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
