Westoe can have a say in title race
THE league title was never realistically going to be theirs, but Westoe will feature conspicuously in who does lift the crown.
Tomorrow they head to Macclesfield who, with a game in hand, are second-top of National 2 North, four points behind Loughborough Students and two points ahead of third-placed Caldy.
In this three-horse race, which is now approaching its conclusion, Gareth Nesbit's side has also to play those other two contenders at home.
The Caldy game is scheduled for a fortnight's time, with the Students due the following Saturday.
But problems of staging the games caused by the Wood Terrace ground being then occupied by cricketers have still to be resolved.
There is little doubt, though, that all three front runners will regard the Dunes Adventure Island-sponsored Shieldsmen, impressively residing in fifth-top spot in their first season at this level, as a potential banana skin.
But win or lose, the results will have an impact on the championship outcome.
Macclesfield are widely regarded as the best team to have come to town this campaign, with a strong, disciplined pack expert in pick-and-drive methods spearheading a 38-28 win in the last game before the big freeze disrupted fixtures.
But the Cheshire men will not have forgotten how the hosts relentlessly fought back into contention, and gained the four-try bonus when Peter Phelan touched down for a second time just before the final whistle.
Caldy won 38-15 on their own turf in the opening game when, established players who were part of the North One title-winning side the previous season had still to gel with new arrivals.
Just two weeks later they pulled off what has retrospectively been seen as one of the surprise results by winning 22-16 at Loughborough after a strong second-half rally.
Nesbit said: "Given the choice, I would have opted to have played the top three at the end of the season because, being among the new boys in the league, it's our best chance of seeing just how we have progressed as a team.
"To be perfectly honest, I don't care which of them wins the title, but we are excited at being so involved in the outcome.
"We want to end our first season in National rugby on a high, and there can't be a better way of doing that than by claiming a prize scalp or two to end the campaign.
"We will do our utmost to win, and there is no question that if we are at the very top of our game and take our chances we can beat any one of them.
"But they are very good teams and I'm not kidding myself. Anything less than our best and we won't."
With twins Chris and James Clark expected to be unavailable, winger James Walker has been drafted into the provisional squad, which also includes 18-year-old Matthew Mellish after his impressive debut off the bench against Hull Ionians on Saturday, and returning back row men Michael Ellery and Tom Burnham.
For the benefit of sat-nav supporters making the 160-mile journey to the Macclesfield's Priory Park ground, its post code is SK10 4AF.
Regarding that problematic fixtures clash, South Shields Cricket Club has offered to seek league permission to begin the second XI game against visitors Gateshead Fell at 9.30am, which would mean the game finishing no later than 3.30pm, enabling the Caldy game to kick-off about 4.15pm.
A different venue is being sought for the clash with the visiting Students, which may mean a plea to the RFU for a relaxation of the usual regulations concerning facilities.
Stay-at-home supporters can watch the Colts play Consett in an Under-18 League match at Wood Terrace, or the Seconds take on Tynedale at Oakleigh Gardens, both kicking off at 3pm.
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Weather for Jarrow
Sunday 05 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -0 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -1 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North west
