WEST Bowling found Thornhill Trojans' defence a tough nut to crack in their 22-14 Xanax BARLA National Cup second-round away defeat. Bowling started the game sharper than their National Conference League hosts but could not breach their well-drilled rearguard, and Trojans eventually broke the stranglehold to take advantage of two fortunate rebounds to cross in the corner.

However, West’s levelled on the half-hour when loose forward Dan Gregory intercepted to race the length of the field to close the half at 4-4.

Bowling were exasperated on the restart when they were repeatedly brought back for a series of forward passes, and they were harshly punished when the Trojans were awarded a penalty from which a tap and run saw them take a 10-6 lead.

West’s prop Nat Light was convinced he had his hand under the ball to prevent the score but his protest was deemed to be unwelcome and he was sin-binned.

Thornhill took advantage of the extra man to cross twice out wide before Bowling, with a full complement again, engineered a sparkling move that ended with stand-off Liam Coe reducing the arrears from 30 metres out.

But the home outfit once more resisted sturdily as Bowling threw the kitchen sink at them.

Thornhill scored the clincher on the hour but Wests had the final say when Gregory intercepted for the second time for his brace.

Queensbury waded through a quagmire to win 16-6 in the Pennine League Championship Division clash at New Earswick All Blacks.

Bury hit the front when wingman Scott Swann crossed the whitewash in the corner, and increased their tally just before the break with another touchdown from stand-off Ash Ryan, converted by Swann.

The York hosts came to the party with a six-pointer shortly after the resumption but Bury’s free-scoring second-row forward Jack Evison made sure of the spoils when he strode over close enough for Swann to ensure full reward.

West Bowling A won their Hudson Foster Supplementary Bradford Cup semi-final 12-8 at home to Wyke A.

Bowling hit the front early doors when wingman Matt Hines made the chalk, leaving centre Ethan Egerton Sharp to add the extras.

They doubled their advantage when centre Karl Spring intercepted to race 80 metres, again converted by Sharp, before Wyke started a fightback with a try from full back Brett Grey.

It was game on when the black and whites reduced the arrears further through packman Keirman Helliwell to close the half but the scoreline remained the same for the rest of the encounter, with both defences on top.