Dockers Retain Curly Cup At Beverley Leisure Centre

Beverley Braves under 11s never recovered from a slow start and crashed to 12-28 defeat against Dockers at the Beverley Leisure Centre. The result means Dockers retain the Curly cup played for in memory of Paul ‘Curly’ Quiney a former Beverley and Dockers player.

 

Dockers went four nil up in their first set of six, electing to run on the sixth tackle and scoring in the left corner. More sustained pressure after the Braves had spilled a high kick and Dockers were suddenly 10nil up and looking at a big score.

Struggling against a well drilled Dockers defence the Braves gradually levered themselves back into the game with strong running from Oliver Loney, Ethan Rowbotham and George Bennet-Tere.

With scrum half, Lewis Egan starting to find the gaps with his probing runs the Braves got themselves into a good position which was improved after a Marcus Walker cross field kick was spilled by Dockers when under pressure from Ryan Deane. The resulting set of six ended with William Wallis crashing over from acting half-back and with Tom Marr’s conversion, it was back to 6-10.

The Braves needed to match their opponent’s defensive efforts but despite some good work by Tom Cohen on the wing and William Sanford in the middle, the Braves were caught short again out wide, this time on the right. It was a crucial time to score for Dockers, on the stroke of half-time, the conversion restoring that 10 point breathing space at 6- 16.

A positive start by the Beverley Braves to the second half was required, and George Lees fielded the kick off well making good yards up the centre of the field.

Henry Hughes came more into the game during the second half and looked dangerous on the right, almost putting Tom Colley away after further good work from Rowbotham. Unfortunately, this pressure came to nothing for the Braves and more pressure from Dockers, despite William Kirkup’s great run out of the in goal area after fielding a kick, led to a converted try to make it 6-22.

Matthew Hutchinson, Dylan English and Harry Newton – playing in the unusual role for him of loose forward – all put in the defensive effort to keep the Braves in the game.

On the final tackle, the Braves decided to run the ball and with Joseph Dennis seemingly wrapped up in the tackle it looked like a hand-over would be the result, but miraculously, he popped up the ball and it was worked into the hands of a marauding Bennet-Tere, who charged through to score under the sticks.

With Walker’s conversion, it was back to that 10 point gap again before Dockers sealed the victory with a late try to make it 12-28. Bennet-Tere was the Beverley man of the match judged by the Docker’s coaches and Egan the Beverley man of the match judged by the Beverley coaches.

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