John Mooney: West Hull vs Myton
The eagerly-awaited National Conference Premier Division clash between West Hull and Myton Warriors resulted in a 34-20 victory for the home team though spectators weren't treated to the anticipated free-flowing rugby which both sides are capable of playing. In a stop-start contest frequented by the referees whistle, team warnings, sin-binning and interventions by touch judges, Wests weathered a late storm which sees them cement fourth spot and leaves their opponents mid-table.
The Green and Golds got off to a flying start with early tries from Jacob Moore and Louis Crowther and a conversion from Scott Partis. They had two tries disallowed before another converted try just before the break saw them into a 16-0 lead and the Warriors had hardly been out of their own half. However, their first serious attack right on the whistle saw Nathan Slater score a fine solo try close to the posts which surprisingly went unconverted.
With a stiff breeze in their favour in the second stanza Myton were expected to take advantage but Wests came out of the blocks quickly and influential skipper Ryan Steen went over too far out for a conversion. Hard-working winger James Goulsbra-Miller then went over in a similar position and at 24-4 the home side were seemingly cruising. Both sides had been put on team warnings for a series of misdemeanours and when both Steen and Partis were sin-binned the Warriors sensed a comeback. Three quick tries followed while Wests were short-handed, two of them converted, and at 24-20 it was game on but the home side weathered the storm and with the Warriors losing a man to the sin-bin for a high shot, the resultant penalty put Wests back in the driving seat and a late Scott Howlett drive saw the big prop seal matters for a scrappy 34-20 victory.
Skirlaugh suffered a narrow home defeat 22-24 by Kells which leaves them looking over their shoulders at the bottom end of the table while in Division One Hull Dockers became the first victims of Featherstone Lions, losing 38-22 to the bottom club.