Beverley Win Thriller At High Flying Huddersfield

They do not come more exciting than this. This was some match, with an unbearable last five minutes for both sets of supporters. Huddersfield are going full belt for promotion and against a side with nothing at stake they probably expected an easy ride here. But they found themselves completely outplayed for most of the game and it was only in the last quarter that they came back strongly to get to within a successful penalty kick of snatching victory. They had won the earlier fixture at Beverley with a last gasp score. Not this time. Beverley today played some of their best, if not the best, rugby of their season and the win was fully deserved, narrow though it ultimately was.

For twenty minutes Huddersfield could hardly have known what had hit them as wave after wave of Beverley attacks bore down on their line. After five minutes Richard Bussey opened the scoring with a try after James Holland had made ground down the left. Phil Duboulay converted from wide out and two minutes later kicked a penalty following an impressive fifty metre surge down the middle by Martin Shaw and Joe Pickets. Tomasi Tanumi then broke through for a try under the posts after Beverley had opted to go for the corner with a penalty rather than kick for goal. Duboulay added the conversion and then a second penalty. Only twenty minutes gone and Beverley were already 20-0 up.

A lovely fifty metre run down the right by Bussey was stopped only inches short as Beverley went in search of more points. Huddersfield were simply never being allowed to get going and they could only rarely get out of their own half. Two yellow cards added to their problems although they did somehow manage to prevent any more Beverley scoring before the interval.

Huddersfield regrouped at halftime and, as expected, upped their game after the break. With half an hour left a try by prop Laurence Sanderson converted by Tom Hodson got them into the match. Two more converted tries and they would be in front. They were certainly now in the ascendancy as Beverley started to tire. Duboulay did stretch the Beverley lead with a third penalty but this was soon cancelled out by one from Hodson.

The defining moment of the game came with a quarter of an hour remaining. Huddersfield were camped on the Beverley line when Holland broke free from a scrum. The ball found its way to Pickets who got to within five metres of the home line before it was quickly recycled and moved across field. Bussey taking the pass on the burst went over and Duboulay converted. It was a thrilling try and Beverley were again twenty points clear.

But Huddersfield were still not done and the last ten minutes needed a superhuman effort by a Beverley side which was missing the absent Junior Tupai and Tonci Buzov and contained a sprinkling of young inexperienced players. They had lost Pickets to a red card for a spectacular but illegal tackle and James Munro with a yellow. Only thirteen men and facing a terrific late home onslaught. Scrum half Joel Hinchcliffe and number eight Nick Sharpe both crossed for converted tries and with time running out Hodson went over in the corner to get Huddersfield to within one point at 30-29.

Beverley had given their all but they were holding on heroically. The last play of the game began with a home scrum near the Huddersfield line. Surely Beverley could see it out. But Huddersfield repeatedly made ground, edging their way upfield with the help of several penalties. With the last one they settled for a kick at goal. The kick fell short and Beverley had got home. It must have been one of the longest phases of final play anyone could remember. For Beverley to win here against the probable league champions was a fine achievement from which everyone emerged a hero. What a match.

Final Score: Huddersfield 29 Beverley RUFC 30 | Reported by John Nursey