West Park St Helens. 31 - 13 Cleckheaton

Another chance went begging last Saturday for Cleckheaton to finish the season with a flourish.The pattern of the match was like so many and this correspondent has seen them all bar two. Plenty of pressure in key areas of the field but poor execution and poor decision making have plagued the side to such an extent that there is little confidence left and the opposition spot this fact quite early and ultimately exploit it.
West Park opened as if their status depended on the result.Cleck had hardly touched the ball before the home side  registered their first points with a converted try.Cleck clawed their way back into contention and Pete Murphy rewarded his team's pressure by converting a penalty. It was at this point that the referee started to impose himself negatively on proceedings. Firstly Matt Piper was given ten minutes for apparent use of the knee and four minutes later West Park lost their rampaging No 8 Rob Morley for use of the forearm.Both sides were refusing to take a step backwards and as an end of season encounter with both sides already relegated,effectively nothing at stake,it was feisty and for that alone worth watching.Even the West Park Coach was sent to the changing rooms for his unconstructive comments to the referee.The game was in the balance as half time approached but Park gained the upper hand when winger Mark Ovens crossed for a try which was unconverted.
Park extended their lead five minutes into the second half when young scrum half Chris Fortune scored a good try which Ovens converted.Cleck were next on the scoreboard when Joe Massarella finished off a flowing back move for a try which Pete Murphy converted.The same player reduced the deficit to six points in the 65th minute with a further penalty but from then on it was all West Park with two further tries,one of which was converted to seal a hard earned victory.
To use the old cliche 'they wanted it more'may be old hat,but from the touchline that was the case.The phrase cannot be applied to all the team but as a unit West Park deserved the win as they, like Cleckheaton contemplate a route back to North One next season.