Whitley Bay Rockcliff see off Westoe in 53-27 victory

Whitley Bay Rockcliff secured a 53-27 victory over old rivals Westoe at Hillheads on Saturday afternoon.

After a shaky first half against a well-drilled visiting side, a strong second-half performance secured a fifth win in six league games for the Cardinal and Golds. With Will Forster and Michael Hansen both unavailable at stand-off, Jack Bland stepped up with aplomb, and earned his side’s Player of the Match accolade with an 18-point haul.

The match was preceded by a minute’s silence for a Westoe member who passed way recently, and then Rockcliff kicked off, attacking the Memorial End. The opening 20 minutes of the contest favoured the away side, however, with Rockcliff struggling to break out of their own half despite spells of good possession.

Westoe stand-off Graeme Tiffin sent an early warning of the threat posed by the visitors when he drifted a penalty just wide of the posts with 10 minutes played, and, as the first quarter of the match came up, a good period of forward pressure created space for centre Gareth Carey to score in the left-hand corner.

Rockcliff responded with a strong drive upfield, and captain Niall Stokes finished from close range for his fourth try of the season. Bland converted to edge Rockcliff in front at 7-5.

Westoe’s pack continually proved to be a handful, scrummaging well and running hard with their pacy backs in support. Full-back Evan Bradford stopped one raid on the home try-line with a last-ditch tackle, but from a subsequent quick line-out, Westoe broke down their right wing and number eight Lewis Stott crossed to score. Tiffin added the extras to make it 7-12.

Keeping the momentum up, Westoe moved the ball right from good possession inside the home 22, then back across to the left where full-back Jordan Carey supported the attack to score, unconverted.

From there, a rattled Rockcliff rallied, and after the restart Sam Owens tackled the receiver to win a penalty for the hosts. Bland kicked to touch and, from the line-out, second row Ashton Stewart drove the ball on, forcing another penalty, which the forwards took short, allowing Lewis Anderson to burrow over the line. Bland converted once more to make it 14-17 with five minutes of the half left to play.

Westoe were first on the score-sheet in the second period, recovering their own kick-off before Stott scored his second try of the match, unconverted, for 17-22.

But shortly after, Bland fired a penalty home from just inside Westoe’s half to close the gap to five points, and then Rockcliff hit a purple patch, scoring five unanswered tries and a further penalty to take the game beyond Westoe’s reach. Ashton Stewart finished off a good forward surge from a line-out, which Bland converted to edge Rockcliff in front by two points.

From the restart, Stokes drove on, Owens broke away, and the Westoe defence scrambled the ball into touch. From the subsequent line-out the ball came infield, the pack took it on, and prop Matt Ginger crossed for his second try in successive games, securing a bonus point for Rockcliff. Bland converted once more.

A fifth try soon followed when Jack Weir and Noah D’Arcy combined down Rocklff’s right wing, with Weir finishing the move. Again, Bland was on target with the conversion.

A similar move down the right led to Rockcliff’s next score. Owens chipped through and D’Arcy and Evan Bradford followed, pressurising an opposition defender who lost possession, allowing Bradford to scoop up the ball and cross for an unconverted try.

But Westoe weren’t to be deterred, taking the game back to Rockcliff and testing the home defence with a series of attacks before Bland relieved the pressure by slotting home his second penalty of the match, again from just inside halfway.

With 10 minutes left, another lightning break down the right wing led to a try, with D’Arcy capping a fine performance with a well-deserved score, converted by Bland for 53-22.

The final say in the match fell to Westoe, who, to their credit, never gave up the fight. The away side’s forwards drove for the try line, touching down to earn the visitors a bonus point.

With no further score, the game closed out at 53-27 in Rockcliff’s favour.