New Brighton 44pts, Blackburn 6pts

WITH eight first team regulars on Cheshire County duty, Blackburn presented the Blues with a serious challenge - and when Westhead scored a penalty after just five minutes things looked dour for a young looking New Brighton side.

But it served merely as a spur and within two minutes of the restart debutant prop James Jobling crashed over for an unconverted try for 5-3.

In a fast flowing open game, honours were even until Westhead, again from the penalty spot, edged the visitors ahead on 20 minutes. Dan Tully finished a splendid Blues drive on 25 minutes to restore the home advantage 10-6.

Then it was very much one way traffic as New Brighton's young bloods took the game to the visitors. Nelson scored from a penalty on 43 minutes and when Blackburn failed to make touch with a long clearance kick, Shaun Gallagher snapped up possession and drove into the defence. His pass found a speeding Simon Wright, who opened his account at Reeds Lane with a spectacular try, dancing through five attempted tackles.

A penetrating break by stand-off Nelson stretched the defence too thin and Steve Johnson, the 18-year-old full-back, was pulled down without the ball. Referee Dave Edmunds had no hesitation in awarding the penalty try, converted by Nelson for 25-6.

Simon Wright scored his second try of the day with a break from near the half-way line to touch down in the corner for 30-6.

Paul Miller finished off a move of some 90 yards with a touch down under the post after at least nine players had handled the ball. Nelson converted.

Jez Lamb rounded off the afternoon with a splendid score converted by Nelson.

New Brighton: Steve Johnson, Paul Miller, Sion O'Hare, John O'Boyle, Steve Hancock, Andrew Nelson, Simon Wright, Phil Gazzola, Paul Feely, James Jobling, Shaun Gallagher (Captain), Carl Turley, Jez Lamb, Dan Tully, Lee Hodgers.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.