West Bowling made mammoth pre-match efforts to make sure their snow-bound pitch at Bankfoot was playable at the weekend - then crashed to defeat against Skirlaugh.

It was one of few National Conference League games to get the go-ahead.

Bowling's efforts looked as though they would pay off as they battered the Skirlaugh line in an impressive opening quarter.

They should have taken the lead when lively second row forward Simon Owen was held stood up - vainly looking for support with the line wide open - and then full back Justin Hunter was hauled down just inches short of the whitewash. But then Skirlaugh scrum half Colin Brown took complete control of the game.

He put up a huge kick that was well fielded by Hunter but he lost the ball in heavy traffic and prop Steve Robson scored at the posts.

Another high kick caused further mayhem and Brown's quick pass put fellow half back Paul Garner over and then he added insult to injury when he won the race to his own short kick.

He side-footed the ball to the posts and Garner had the formality of scoring his second of the match.

Brown added all three conversions himself.

Bowling player-coach Glenn Barraclough was denied when he was held over the line on his back but substitute half back Domenic Brambani produced a sharp short pass to give Owen a half chance that he took with aplomb.

Lee Innes added the extras to close the half 18-6.

Bowling once again made all the running on the restart but their confidence visibly drained away as they failed to breach the rock solid Hull sides' defence.

Brown inevitably had the final say when his cross-field kick led to the final try.

He added the conversion to give his side the spoils 24-6 and earned himself the man- of-the-match award.