'THE PLAYERS had something to prove on Saturday and they felt they discharged their responsibility with this concerted team performance.

It was a much better all-round effort against a side very hard to beat on their home ground and in a difficult environment in which to play.

We are confident about what we are trying to achieve on the field and the difference this week was that we executed our plan.

By varying the focus of attack, we were able to open them up in midfield and hit them where and when it counted.

Then we produced a very mature, impressive defensive performance under pressure.

Considering we were 7-0 down after a minute with two men off, it was a heroic team performance against the odds and ranks alongside the likes of Exeter and Bradford and Bingley in terms of team spirit.

We might have scored

25 points or more in the

first half if we have we been able to make all our attacks count.

After working our way into a well-deserved 19-10 lead at half time, we kept up the momentum to go 32-16 ahead with 15 minutes left.

The job looked done at that stage, but we lost a bit of control and in the last quarter of an hour they came back at us.

Although it didn't feel so at the time, they never looked like scoring the vital try they wanted.