The blue and golds progressed to the final of the Ray Speckman Cup in an exciting ding dong affair at Bilton last Saturday. Work commitments forced a reshuffle by coach Guy Adams.
Ben Calvert, Gavin Proctor and Gavin Platt were all unavailable. Steve Connolly was switched to hooker, and Lee Falcus was drafted in at full back.
The home side took the lead as early as the 5th minute with their speedy hooker sneaking away to score a converted try from the dummy half position. The visitors started to get some quality possession and territory and it dividends. Steve Connolly danced away from dummy half to score beneath the posts.
Watkin adding on the goal. Minutes later the try of the match was scored by Beverley. A strong run down the left flank by Adam Norton saw him beat several defenders only to be pulled up short.
A quick play the ball saw the ball shipped swiftly out to the left to allow Ian Lane to dive over in the left-hand corner. Watkin stroked over the touchline conversion.
Beverley threw the ball about in enterprising style at times though midway through the half they became a little too adventurous. A long ball was intercepted by a home player who raced 70 meters to score an improved try. It was a score that appeared to be totally against the run of play.
The visitors did regain the lead when some yet crisper handling saw Steve Davidson run strongly onto a pass to score besides the posts.
The conversion was again added, and Beverley were good value for an 18-12 interval lead.
The home side got on level terms very quickly in the second half with some sketchy defence allowing them to score wide out. The score did not phase the visitors and four minutes later they were back in front. The ever industrious Mike Cooper cleverly switched play to the blind side and sent Ian Lane over wide out with the extras added by Watkin. The lead was very short-lived as Beverley fumbled the restart kick put Bilton immediately on the attack, and they took full advantage to score a converted try and level thing up at 24-24.
The match then settled down and became an absorbing contest between both sets of forwards. Joe Wileman and Lee Stevens were outstanding and had their best games during the season continually grinding out the hard yards with Stevens occasionally getting in his trademark offload.
The deadlock was finally broken 15 minutes from time when Connolly’s break set up the field position for Watkin’s tricky bobbling kick that was knocked on by the home side’s full back. The resultant set of six saw wingman Adam Norton go over in the corner.
Shortly after victory appeared to be sealed when Connolly’s intelligent chip towards the corner was pounced on by Norton to score his second try. The visitors were made to sweat and deep in stoppage time Bilton score a converted try to reduce the arrears to 32-30. However, there was not enough time left for them to snatch the game.
In a hard-earned victory, Lee Stevens took the man of the match award with the strong running Ian Lane and the tricky running Steve Connolly a close joint second. Full back Lee Falcus was also very safe under the aerial bombardment by Bilton.
Coach Guy Adams is now looking to finish a much improved campaign with some silverware in the final against Lambwath Lions.
Final Score : Bilton Sully’s 30 Beverley ARLC 32 | Reported by Nick Robinson
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