It was the against-the-odds outcome of two other games that has given a boost to promotion hopes at Wood Terrace, premature though they might be with the season not quite half-way through.
Loughborough Students remain in top spot despite surrendering their all-win record in a hard fought clash against hosts Luctonians but Leicester Lions’ 17-13 defeat at home to Harrogate meant they slipped from second to fourth.
Leap-frogging over them were both the Shieldsmen and Fylde who gave a 76-8 thrashing to struggling Rugby Lions. They are both now just six points adrift of the Students with Westoe’s better scoring record giving them the edge.
But first, two plaudits.
Luckless Manchester earned the admiration and applause of the crowd for their dogged spirit in adversity. They lost one of their only two replacements in a pre-match warm up mishap and injuries inflicted by purposeful and stronger opponents meant they spent the last quarter with just 13 men.
Pat-on-the-back also for groundsman Robin Wightman who, with help from club chairman Duncan Murray and team manager Jimmy Bell, toiled long and hard to make just playable a pitch that 48 hours earlier had been carpeted by almost a foot of frozen snow.
Said Murray: “Robin knew how anxious we were to get back into action after two games had been postponed by the Arctic weather and he played a blinder.”
Dunes Adventure Island-sponsored Westoe took the lead in only the third minute when a powerful forwards’ thrust ended with athletic flanker Jonathon Okwe-Pearson bursting over near the right corner flag.
Despite the quagmire conditions, they strove for open play and the second try was the best of all, centre James Clark reaching a speed remarkable on such a heavy service to slice through the defence in a sprint from the half-way line.
At this point player-coach Mark Bedworth limped off with a knee injury and his quality kicking, particularly set-piece, was badly missed - just two of the glut of tries being converted late on when debutant Chris Hitchcock had the role belatedly thrust on him.
Enter Aaron Myers, normally in the back row but taking on the scrum half duties, who had a cracker of a game, always in the thick of things and nabbing a hat-trick of tries.
The first of these earned his side the bonus point and along with others by flanker Ben Morris and prop Gareth Nesbit meant that they reached half-time 25-0 ahead and with their 12th win effectively in the bag.
With the visitors resuming one man short and having to play up the slope, they must have feared the worst and within a minute centre David Haswell burst through from inside his own half, passing to flanker Joe Maw to finish the job when brought down just short.
Winger Tommy Banks, hooker Rob Adair, fly half Hitchcock and full back Ryan Beattie also got their names on the score sheet before Clark rounded off proceedings with his second try shortly before the referee Will Halford’s final whistle blast ended Manchester’s misery.
Captain Nesbit said: “We got the five points in the bag which is what we wanted as well as some rugby behind us before what will be a tough game at Hull Ionians next week.
“With due respect to Manchester, we could only compete against what was in front of us. But we did admire the way they played for each other and I would like to think that will bring them some success.”
The Seconds’ Candy League game at Darlington Mowden Park and the Colts’ Under-18 Cup clash against Durham City yesterday were both victims of the weather.