It is back-to-back home games for West after seeing off league new boys Ryton 49-35 for their first win last weekend and it promises to be a tough test.
Penrith are tipped for a quick return to Regional One though, like West, lost a high scoring game at Percy Park, going down 66-48.
The Brinkburn faithful had to wait six long months to see some league rugby, but it was worth it.
Defences were definitely not on top at Catcote Road as a grand total of 12 tries were racked up following on from the 10 scored the previous Saturday in the defeat at Percy Park. Things may slow down when the pitches get a bit clarty!
Chris Webb’s men scored seven of them against Ryton, all converted, six of them by Jobe Roxby and the other by Matty Baggs while the stand-off was in the sin-bin.
West were never behind in the game against a newly-promoted Ryton side boasting a beefy pack and some enterprising backs.
The hosts went ahead after just three minutes when Sam Knight broke clear from a West line-out with Eliott Reed in support to finish off.
Five minutes later Aidan Jackson-Smith celebrated his first game of the season with a trademark steal at the breakdown, followed by a sharp 20-metre burst to the line.
It was 21-0 inside 13 minutes when Knight, fresh from his hat-trick at Percy Park the previous week, intercepted in his own 22 and his heels could not have been cleaner as he raced to the posts .
Ryton fought their way back into the game when prop Clayton Walker burst into the 22, where he swerved past full-back Matt Siddle on his way the line. Centre Owen Reed added the extra two points and also went on to have an immaculate kicking record.
When number eight Dan Lax scored the next, West’s lead was now down to just seven points but skipper Chris Atkins set up a home bonus point when he picked up at the base of an attacking scrum to send Baggs over. West’s two-score lead didn’t last long with Ryton’s heavy pack driving over with giant prop Matt Hardy unstoppable to make it 28-21 at the break.
Siddle was lost to injury shortly after the restart with Max Tennant coming onto the wing and Will Hilditch switching to full-back.
It didn’t take long for Tennant to make his mark in his first league outing, going over in the left corner courtesy of a sharp pass from Roxby to make it 35-21.
Ryton came back with a try by player-coach Dustin Port but Baggs set up the next score for West by the lively Jackson-Smith.
Roxby finished off the home scoring when creating space to go over and finish with a 17-point personal contribution.
While beaten, Ryton were not finished and scored their fifth try through full-back Robson.
By Dave Picken
