Westoe shrug off injuries to beat Hull
WESTOE would surely have chosen this game in which to revamp their aspirations at National level.
Their visit to Hull's Ferens Ground just over a year ago ended in a 63-8 massacre, after which the crestfallen Shieldsmen got a stern talking to from coach Joe Shaw.
As everyone knows, they picked themselves up from the debris of that game to beat the Humbersiders in a neck-and-neck contest for the North One crown and automatic promotion to National 2 North.
This time the stricture came beforehand, when director of rugby Andy Howells left the squad in no doubt that they had to tighten their game and eliminate blunders that had contributed much to three defeats in the first four games at this unforgiving stratum.
And how well they responded, taking their chances in the first half when the strong wind was in their favour and - as Howells himself put it - "digging in splendidly" when it was in their faces.
This win, and with it a bonus point for four tries, was all the more creditable, as the Shieldsmen have been hard hit by injuries - and there was further disruption after just 10 minutes when inside centre and key man David Haswell was taken to hospital with a fractured elbow.
It was Hull, also promoted after a play-off, who this time made the mistakes, and Gareth Nesbit's men who capitalized on them.
They had gone ahead after 10 minutes when fly-half Charlie Rayner slotted in an off-side penalty from the 22 line, and it was his long and precise passes from rucks close in that set up the victory.
The first found will o' the wisp centre Charles Clark, who darted through a gap to touch down at the end of the first quarter for his fourth try of the campaign, which Rayner converted.
Then 16 minutes later, in almost identical fashion, it was flanker Michael Ellery who benefited from slack defending to put the Dunes Adventure Island-sponsored team 18-0 ahead.
Hull got onto the scoreboard just before the interval, when fly-half James Cameron kicked a penalty, and with the considerable wind advantage now with them they must have felt pretty optimistic as they ran out for the second half.
But it was Peter Tennet, brought on as replacement hooker in the 47th minute, who put the visitors further ahead almost immediately when he burst through from a line-out to score, and thereafter to play a pivotal role as strong-scrummaging Westoe dominated set pieces and defended staunchly.
The hosts did reduce the arrears when, within a couple of minutes, Cameron kicked his second penalty from close in and replacement number 8 Laurence Pearce fought his way over.
There was, however, to be none of the wilting that had conceded a single-point victory to Preston Grasshoppers at home a week before, and in the 64th minute a try by substitute winger James Walker pretty well put another fightback victory out of reach.
Ex-Colt Hayden Richards, 23, returned to the Wood Terrace fold from the town's College side and making his debut from the bench at flanker, won a turnover ball well inside his own half to set away Rayner and then Clark, before Walker sprinted 30m to finish the job.
There was a defensive lapse which let in Pearce to score his second try late on, Cameron converting, but ranks then closed firmly once more.
Nesbit said afterwards: "This was an excellent win when you consider the team had to be juggled beforehand because of injuries and juggled again when David went off, but it all produced a fine fighting spirit which saw us through."
And Howells declared: "This performance showed that when we get back to full strength we will be a formidable side."
*The Beacon Electrical (NE) Ltd-sponsored Seconds, with clever off-loading and good support in the backs, beat Darlington 44-17 in their Candy League clash at Wood Terrace, with tries scored by John McFarland (two), Tom Shiel, Daniel Rundle, Grant Walker, Paul Alexander and Grant Parkin with Chris Laycock kicking three conversions and a penalty.
An encouraging aspect was that it was a young side with an influx of players who have emerged from the resurgent Colts.
*The Thirds were beaten 34-14 by well-drilled hosts Morpeth whose 24-0 half-time lead after having the wind in their favour was match-winning, despite a Westoe rally in which hooker Rob Scorer and winger Richie Burrows scored tries converted by fly-half Colin Gillespie.
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Weather for South Shields
Friday 10 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -2 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 1 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South west
