THERE is a clear need for the changing face of Acklam Park to be accompanied by rugby at a higher level than North Two East, and Middlesbrough look assured of an immediate return to North One.

A month ago they had West Hartlepool breathing down their necks, but after completing a comfortable double Boro are now eight points ahead of Saturday's visitors.

They also moved three points clear of Driffield, who look like being their only serious rivals but lost 12-5 at Rochdale, and with a two-week break from league rugby coming up Boro will hope to be at full strength on the resumption.

They missed centre Dave Richardson on Saturday, while No 8 Richie Barker also had to pull out and Martin Howe had a quiet game on his return from the concussion he suffered at West.

That match had a rather fractious finale, but the only hint of a repeat came when West prop Carl Robinson pressed his face threateningly against Boro winger Danny Poole's. Not even Robinson's mum would want to see him at such close quarters.

With a bevy of teenagers in their line-up, West could not afford to be drawn into a scrap, but the clarty conditions were hardly conducive to the sort of enterprising rugby to which they aspired.

It was a day which featured Young and Old. West's 17-year-old scrum half, Michael Young, an England schoolboy, showed he has guts as well as talent, while former England fly half Alan Old was among those attending Boro's old boys' reunion.

He might have been impressed by West's young No 10, Gavin Painter, but it was the old head on his opposite number, Paul Lee, which summed up the difference between the sides.

Another old boy with a greater interest than most was John Dixon, the West stalwart who was in the Boro side when the teams last met at Acklam Park three years ago.

His 18-year-old son, Tom, also a lock forward, was making his first league start for West and hinted that he might be a little more athletic than his powerhouse parent by stepping up to kick the 35-metre penalty which gave West a ninth-minute lead.

Their enthusiasm saw them continue to dominate territorially early on and a good run by winger Martin Todd took him almost to the line, where prop Jon Norris drove over, only to be held up.

Boro, on the other hand, created two converted tries out of very little to lead 14-3 at half-time. The first stemmed from their own attack breaking down, but they re-gathered the ball on halfway and quickly moved it left, where Lee Rust galloped up the touchline and passed inside for fellow centre Simon O'Farrell to score.

Just before half-time there seemed to be nothing on when, from 30 metres out, Lee put up a kick to the left corner and Rust got there first to put O'Farrell over again.

Both were well converted by Simon Moore, who added an easy penalty five minutes after the break before West sent skipper David Tighe on at fly half, with Painter switching to the wing.

Tighe tried to bring fresh urgency to West's adventurous approach, but when they dropped the ball near their own posts Boro recycled it four times before the impressive Peter Wright was stopped just short and penalised for not releasing.

Boro kept the pressure on and after attempting a catch-and-drive they worked the ball right for Lee to score from close range.

Moore converted before making way for Tom Bivens, leaving O'Farrell to add to his tally by kicking the final penalty.

Some of the old boys were heading back to the clubhouse before the final whistle and will doubtless look forward to returning to more palatial surroundings in future.

While the flats being built on the site of the old cricket ground terracing rise impressively, the clubhouse plans are slightly delayed by a VAT dispute.

With potential savings of £350,000 it should be worth the wait.