Cleckheaton 19 – 13 Westoe

Cleckheaton lacked a bit of rhythm at times during this game against a resurgent Westoe team but ultimately proved too strong for their opponents from South Shields. Westoe have strengthened in the last fortnight and their new players helped them to a landslide victory over 5th place Rossendale in their previous outing. The Moorenders knew that their visitors’ lowly position in the table was no excuse for complacency and that the game, like all others this season, would need to be hard fought.

Westoe confirmed that they hadn’t come to simply lie down when Ben Roberts went in for a try shortly after kick off. The conversion attempt drifted wide. Cleckheaton dug deep and attacked the visitors from the re-start using their forwards to slowly work their way up field in the face of stalwart defence. An error by Westoe gave the Moorenders a penalty and the ball was kicked to the corner. Cleckheaton’s trustworthy strike move of the catch and drive was put into action and Rob Afoa Peterson marked his return to action following a shoulder injury, with an equalising try. Ross Hayden added the extras to give Cleckheaton a narrow lead. Westoe had no intention of going further behind and piled the pressure on Cleck who were now going through an error strewn period filled with mistakes and the conceding of penalties. Westoe could have retaken the lead but a kick at goal just to the right of the sticks, on the 22 metre line, failed to make the distance. On the half hour mark Jack Seddon made way for Richard Piper who was introduced into the back row after a two week absence. Teaming up with Callum Thompson, he marked his return with a big hit, as the pair crashed into a Westoe attacker, instantly nullifying the momentum that the South Shields men were building. Cleckheaton cleared their lines and apart from another failed penalty attempt from the visitors, the scorer remained untroubled for the last few minutes of the half.

The second half started in much the same way as the first with a very early score for Westoe. This time Jamie Judson got the touch down in the corner to give them a 10-7 lead. Matt Piper was brought on in the centre with Danny Vento moving into the back row for Rob Afoa Peterson. Westoe played with passion and made Cleckheaton work hard for every yard but the Moorenders were up for the challenge and once again got a kick to the corner, resulting in a try for Richard Piper. With the game poised at 12-10 there were some tense moments as both sides had opportunities but failed to convert them into points. Alex Dawson had some good rumbling runs to earn himself Man of the Match and Ross Hayden and Lee Queeley combined with flair to go within inches of the whitewash. Unfortunately Hayden got a smack to the nose during the attack and had to leave the field, with Jack Seddon returning and Carl Mason also coming on for Grant Turton. Cleckheaton kept the momentum up and were rewarded with another line-out close to Westoe’s line. Despite the desperate attempts of the visitors to resist Cleckheaton’s drive, Richard Piper dived over for his second. Jarrad Toulson converted. The last six or seven minutes of the game were an anxious affair. Westoe attacked with vigour piling the pressure on the Cleckheaton line. Ollie Akroyd infringed and given the proximity of the whitewash, was shown a yellow card. Two minutes later he was followed by Jarrad Toulson, who would claim mistaken identity but nevertheless the Moorenders would have to see the game out with thirteen men. Westoe opted to take guaranteed points immediately and kicked a penalty goal to bring the score to 19-13. With the tension of a final kick off to come, many a nail was being bitten on the touchline but despite being two men down Cleckheaton did not let Westoe back into their half and the team’s fantastic home league record this season is secured into the New Year.

Next week Cleckheaton travel to near Elsmere Port, where both the 1st and 2nd team will take on Wirral.