By MARK CASHMAN

They’ve been close over past couple of starts but West Harbour broke through for their first win of the 2020 Shute Shield season on Saturday with a “warts and all” 22-19 win over Manly.

Wests have been in all of their games so far this season but have fallen away and conceded points in the championships minutes of the second half.

But that was far from the case against the Marlins on Saturday with their scrum a major weapon and they were able to claw their way back into the game when they fell behind midway through the second stanza.

The Marlins looked to have had the game in their keeping when their centre Hutana Coffin crashed over and it was converted by Harley Attwater to give the visitors a 19-15 lead.

But Francis Ieremia forced his way over for the critical score that was duly converted by Patrick Pellegrini who was one of the Pirates better players in the backline.

They then survived a number of surges from the Marlins including a rolling maul that it’s way over the try line but was ruled to have knocked on.

Wests coach Mark Gudmunson was a happy man in the wake of the victory.

“The most pleasing part was that we did not drop off for a period of the game like we have in the last few,” he said.

“When they got the lead back in the second half, we battled back and took back the lead again. That is something that we haven’t been able to do.

“They had opportunities late, but it was our desperation in defence and effort that stopped them, that was really pleasing.

“It does not get any easier with Gordon and Uni in the next two games, but we have had been close in each of our games this year and to get one over the line is the belief this team needed.

“Francis Ieremia and Pat Pellegrini were real standouts individually and Connor Chittenden just keeps getting better each week too. Our scrum was again a weapon for us.”

Manly coach Matt McGoldrick said Wests deserved to get the chocolates.

“West’s played really well to their credit. They controlled the ball, played the wind better than us and took their chances,” he said

“I’ve just finished the stats and we made 183 tackles to their 78. They just held the ball for long periods and frustrated us. Fair play to them.

“They turned over a stack of ball against the Rats the week before and just didn’t do it against us. It’s a funny old game sometimes.”

WEST HARBOUR 22 (Francis Ieremia Saufoi, Patrick Pellegrini, Tavite Gadeisuva tries; Pellegrini 2 conversions, pen goal) d MANLY 19 (Mitchell Tye, Hutana Coffin, Yool Yool tries; Harley Attwater 2 conversions)

IMAGE: JEREMY BRENNAN