Beavers Set Up Grandstand Finish To Season With Win At Rossendale

Triumph and tragedy here for Beverley RUFC. They achieved another fine victory in their fight to avoid relegation but sadly it was marred by a serious neck injury to Alex Ogilvie which caused a fifty minute delay while he was airlifted from the pitch to hospital. With only twelve minutes left they might have called it a day with the result standing but Rossendale were desperate for points to secure a play-off place and opted to continue. Beverley RUFC were leading 22-21 at the time which caused a brief final session as tense as anything we have seen all season. Beverley RUFC made it in the end but, god, it was a nail-biting twelve minutes.

Beverley RUFC kicked off against the slope and into a stiff wind. Rossendale were clearly intent on making the most of their first half advantage and within five minutes had taken the lead with a try in the corner by winger Danny Harrison which fly half Steve Nutt converted from the touchline. Beverley RUFC could get little possession early on but when they did they looked every bit as good as their high flying opponents. Junior Tupai scythed through for a try to reduce the deficit and a fifty metre break by Sam Atiola very nearly brought another.

With the conditions against them Beverley RUFC needed to keep the deficit within range until turning round at the break. They did this pretty well but they were up against a big well drilled pack adept at keeping the ball and Beverley RUFC struggled to get much possession of their own. Two converted Rossendale tries by scrum half Jamie Albinson and number eight Danny Collins left Beverley RUFC trailing 21-5 and any second half fight-back looked like being a tough one.

But on the stroke of halftime they struck with a fine try. Throughout the first half Beverley RUFC had looked dangerous with the ball in hand and several times they might have added to their early score. Tom Steadman making his first start for Beverley RUFC at fly half kept the line moving well and Tupai and Atiola were always a handful in the centre. Eventually they got their reward when they came away with the ball from a Rossendale put-in and debutant winger Rob Cuthbertson showed a fine turn of speed to race in at the corner.

21-10 at halftime looked a lot better than 21-5 and Beverley RUFC in the second half had all to play for. A slick inside pass by Tupai put Chris Infield over for a third Beverley RUFC try which Tupai converted and Beverley RUFC were within four points of the lead. Their pack was again playing magnificently despite occasionally throwing passes about recklessly. But they gave it everything as they went for victory.

With a quarter of an hour remaining their moment came. Beverley RUFC made good ground with a long penalty into the home 22, moved the ball across field and Richard Bussey sprinted in from thirty metres. Tupai’s conversion hit the post but crucially Beverley RUFC now had their noses in front. Then came the unfortunate injury to Ogilvie who lay immobile after a scrum collapsed. It was particularly bad luck on the young prop who had been having a fine match and certainly his best since recently joining the club.

The drama was by no means over. Play resumed with a Beverley RUFC scrum which they made a mess of and they immediately conceded a penalty in front of the posts. Nutt slotted the kick and it looked like Beverley RUFC had yet again surrendered a victory at the death. But all was not lost and with the seconds ticking away Tupai snatched the win with a last-ditch penalty from thirty metres.

So it all goes down to the wire. Beverley RUFC must win their final game at home to Burnage next week and almost certainly with a bonus point, and hope results elsewhere go in their favour. It would be tough on Beverley RUFC if they were now to be denied safety after mounting such a terrific fight-back in recent weeks.

Final Score: Rossendale 24 Beverley RUFC 25 | Reported by John Nursey