BLACKBURN rediscovered the form of last season to turn in their best performance of the present campaign.

The club just missed out on promotion last time around but more displays like this and they could just about launch another late challenge.

Blackburn lost a string of key players in the closed season as missing out on going up seemed to have cost them dearly.

But on this viewing they still have assembled a side that looks more than capable of winning matches and making a mockery of their low league position.

For in terrible conditions, Blackburn were fantastic as they recorded only their third win of the season.

Full back Barry Greenwood was the pick of the bunch, showing a safe pair of hands throughout and in the second half proving to be Blackburn's main attacking outlet.

The home side used the wind to their advantage in the first half with some intelligent kicking by player/coach and outside half Steve Kerry.

However it was the slick passing and direct running by both the forwards and backs that caught the eye.

The backs were always prepared to run the ball from no matter what position they received.

But giant forwards Phil Crayston, Mick McHugh and Shaid Khan also got in on the act and ran with the ball whenever possible. Blackburn opened up a six point lead thanks to two early penalties from scrum half Nick Westhead who went on to record 15 points, including a try.

And it was Westhead who grabbed the first try, mainly thanks to some superb controlled scrummaging by the forwards.

The pack drove West Park back at least 10 yards, with number eight Shaid Khan controlling the ball at the base of the scrum until Westhead picked up and dived over to score.

West Park had no answer to the more powerful Blackburn pack and their second try game from the same source.

The back-pedalling visitors failed to control the ball in the srum and when it squirmed out, flanker Nigel Atherton ran through unchallenged to score and Westhead put over the conversion.

Kerry then showed some individual brilliance as he side stepped his way through the West Park defence to score an excellent try.

By now Blackburn were cruising but got a little complacent and let West Park back in for the best spell of the match.

And after forcing Blackburn into conceding a string of penalties, Ben Chadwick finally made the pressure pay off with a try.

The outside half didn't appear to be posing any threat but some sloppy tackling let Chadwick slip through to score.

Blackburn expected a heavy onslaught after the break with West Park playing with the wind.

But it was Blackburn who scored - and it was thanks to Greenwood. The full back caught a difficult long punt up field by Chadwick and then set off on a powerful run, leaving three West Park players in his slip stream to put Chris Curwen in on the left to score.

Greenwood was again instrumental in Blackburn's next attack when his strong run was halted by a tackle by Matt Stevens. But from the second phase ball, Blackburn moved it along the line and centre Nick Kenyon was halted inches from the line.

West Park's only replay was a penalty by Chadwick.

Blackburn almost grabbed a fourth try and again the move was started well within their own 22.

Winger Andrew Graham cut inside Robert Greg and Blackburn suddenly found themselves three against one.

But Graham delayed his pass slightly and as ball went through the hands of Kenyon and Curwen, West Park full back Jason Whitehead was able to get in a good tackle.

A fourth try would have put the icing on the cake but the win now gives Blackburn something to get their teeth into for the remainder of the season.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.