Archie Murdoch Scores Four Tries As Braves Beat Warriors

Beverley Braves under 12s secured their third consecutive win with a fine 22-6 win over Myton Warriors at the Leisure Centre, Archie Murdoch scored four tries but the team defensive effort went a long way to ensuring the win as well.

Beverley made a great start forcing a scrum from the kickoff, and as they built the pressure, the ball was moved across the line with fast hands to Murdoch, who dummied to the supporting Tom Cohen before stepping inside to score. 4-0 and the Braves were looking good.

However, from the kick off it was Myton’s turn to win possession and after a small disagreement, the Warriors were awarded a penalty, and the Braves were reduced to 12 men with a sin-binning. This was the perfect scenario for the big Myton pack, and it was only a couple of tackles later that they bulldozed over the line next to the posts. With the conversion, Myton had the lead at 4-6.

Despite being behind the Beverley Braves kept their cool, despite the humid conditions, and were soon back with the ball in hand and after good forward drives from Ollie Loney and Ethan Rowbotham and quick hands in the halves – particularly from Lewis Egan and hooker Jack Turner the position was set for Murdoch to take the ball from the acting half back, step around several defenders and race away under the sticks, with the conversion from Marcus Walker Beverley had the lead again at 10-6.

This was soon to be improved on when, after a Myton kick went dead over the in goal line, full-back William Kirkup took the ball up well from the resulting 20 metre tap. The field position was ideal for Murdoch to score a carbon copy of his second and complete his hat-trick.

Turner’s goal making it 16-6 and Beverley were now well on top. Henry Hughes was also taking the ball up well after a going off for a while with an injury, and it was only a matter of time before the Braves scored again.

Defensively Beverley were also playing well. Cohen took a high kick well as did his counterpart Tom Newton on the other wing. Sound under the kicks and getting to grips with the big lads of Myton the Braves gained possession for only the fourth time in the half, and it was that man again, Murdoch using all his pace and elusive running to score his fourth. Walker’s conversion making it 22-6 and that is how the score remained until half-time.

The second-half allowed a few more changes to be made with Matthew Hutchinson on and also Ewan Morton first going to hooker and then having a spell at full-back and looking secure in both positions.

However, the second half was built on defence. Myton tightened things up considerably, and Beverley did not help things by knocking on four times and giving away penalties twice. One of the penalties was when Dylan English almost got to Walker’s kick to the corner but was adjudged off- side.

This was probably the nearest Beverley got to score, despite Ryan Deane’s probing runs, in the second-half with Myton going close several times.

Ben Hodder and Newton combining to put the Myton attacker on his back over the line on one occasion, Kirkup putting in a try saving tackle later in the half. William Wallis got through a large work-rate in defence as did Ollie Gresswell, whilst Loney, Egan and Walker were also high up the tackle count.

However, it was the effort and work-rate of Rowbotham that caught the eye the most. He tackled everything that moved, sometimes twice the size of him, and this defence earned him the man of the match award.

Final Score: Beverley Braves 22 Myton Warriors 6