Pennine League Premier Division: West Bowling 30 Fryston Warriors 26

WEST Bowling kept on track for the title and maintained their 100 per cent record with a nail-biting win over Fryston Warriors.

The game was billed as a must-see affair, and the sizeable crowd were treated to a feast of rugby in a match that constantly ebbed and flowed.

Bowling drew first blood on eight minutes when impressive loose forward Richard Lumb shrugged off a number of would-be tacklers to crash over under the posts, Harry Williams duly adding the extras.

Minutes later, Bowling were nearly in again when Williams broke up a Warriors attack with an interception, only to be brought down by a superb cover tackle from full back Ryan Meah.

The Warriors then showed their class and hit Bowling with back-to-back tries in five minutes.

Firstly, lively centre Sean Gee scored out wide after a runaround move, followed by a Meah touchdown as he outpaced the home defence down the right flank.

With stand-off Andy Speake successfully converting both, Bowling found themselves 12-6 down.

Speake quickly extended the lead to 14-6 when Bowling showed a lack of discipline and were penalised for ball- stealing.

The Warriors now had the upper hand but the game turned on it's head when Williams pulled off another interception, and this time made it count with a touchdown.

With the successful conversion from Williams, the home side were back in it at 14-12 down.

Bowling began to cause the visitors' defence some real problems, and it was no surprise when they scored again.

A neat chip kick by Liam Coe allowed the on-rushing Jack Milburn to get finger tips to the ball, and with Williams on target again, Bowling were back in the lead.

They piled on the pressure and, following a superb handling move, pacy winger Jake Green crashed over.

With another successful Williams goal, the home side turned around at the break with a healthy 24-14 advantage.

Anyone who thought the Warriors were dead and buried were to get a second-half shock to the system, however.

From the minute referee Tony Martin blew his whistle, the Warriors surged forward.

They repeatedly put Bowling on the back foot, and after 46 minutes scored a try that the crowd knew was coming.

Loose forward Scott Horner barged his way through the Bowling rearguard to allow winger Adam Baxter a clear run to the line.

The third quarter was all Warriors, and alarm bells began to ring when Baxter was held just short with the line at his mercy.

The visitors didn't have to wait long though as centre Wayne McHugh dived in out wide, and when Peake added the extras it was all-square at 24-24.

The game was on a knife-edge, and it was going to take a special moment to swing the game either way.

Fortunately for Bowling, that moment came from full back Max Trueman.

Lumb laid the platform, finding Trueman with the pass and he danced his way around several Warriors defenders to post the match-winning try.

The biggest cheer came at the end when Martin's whistle signalled a vital victory and a step nearer the title.

Bowling are at Fryston in the return on Saturday, and West's coach Glenn Barraclough said: "I was really pleased with the performance.

"The boys stuck to the task well, despite long spells of pressure, and came up with some good decisions at the other end of the field.

"We now have to back it up next week to win the title."