WEST PARK BRAMHOPE...3

BRIDLINGTON...17

WEST Park Bramhope finally played their first home league game of the season at The Sycamores but were eventually defeated by a bigger and stronger visiting pack.

The home side had the better of the first half-hour, with a Jason Whitehead chip to the corner almost producing a score.

Ian Moule made a break and fed debutant Hamilton, who was brought down just short of the line.

Eventually, however, the pressure told and Matt Stephens kicked a penalty to put West Park in front.

The game then turned scrappy and bad tempered, which resulted in both sides losing a player to the sinbin.

Bridlington's large pack were starting to turn the screw and they drove close only to lose the ball, allowing Stephens to clear the line.

The second-half began in much the same vein as the end of the first, with the limited approach of the visitors wearing down West Park's defence.

The frustration was apparent and it resulted in the Bridlington coach being sent from the touchline by the referee.

However, pressure from the visitors finally told and they crashed over for a converted try.

A penalty followed soon after as West Park ran out of steam and the final score was a harshly awarded penalty try as the home side's pack were accused of bringing down a scrum near the line.

West Park's young side can take heart from this game and, with a couple of players due back from injury, Saturday's home game with Crossleyans could see a chance for their first victory.

The match kicks-off at The Sycamores at 3pm.

Under-17's go Dutch

WEST Park Bramhope RUFC is going double Dutch in Holland - thanks to a cash boost from Pearl.

The club raised £700 to help pay for its Under-17's team to attend a tournament in Holland by hosting a fund-raising sevens tournament for other Yorkshire teams in September.

Pearl, the life and pensions arm of Australian financial giant, AMP, became involved through Chris Hall, an area manager based at its Calderdale branch. Chris coaches the Under-17's and helps with the club's fund-raising.

He applied to the company under its Employee Community Support Programme to match his cash raised.

Under the programme, employees who each year spend over 80 hours working for a charity or local group are eligible for a grant up to £500. Employee's fund-raising efforts are also backed with the company matching cash raised, pound for pound, again up to £500.

Chris was delighted when he found out his application had been successful.

He said: "Pearl's support is fantastic.

"Fund-raising for events like this can be very difficult, so we're particularly pleased with this kind of donation which meant the total raised was £1,200."

Helen Haynes, Pearl's community affairs manager, said: "Our staff do a great deal of good work in the community and the Employee Community Support Programme has proved to be an excellent way of supporting what they do."