Beverley ARLC Beat Hillsborough Hawks at Leisure Centre

Beverley ARLC got back to winning ways in this high-scoring encounter against Hillsborough Hawks at a warm but very windy Beverley Leisure Centre.

In the final analysis, the home side were good value for their win. They notched ten tries of which only three were converted as the swirling wind made goal-kicking very difficult. Their Sheffield based opponents can take heart from a spirited showing battling for the full eighty minutes and belying their bottom of the table position.

Beverley ARLC were on the scoreboard in the 10th-minute courtesy of Steve Connolly’s show and go close to the visitors’ line which saw him dive over besides the posts. They went further ahead five minutes later after Louis Hubbard’s bustling run set up the field position. Jack Howdle then took the ball up, got a pass away to Will Mail who in turn fed Tom Shires, who stepped inside to score.

The conversion was again missed. Hillsborough Hawks pulled back a converted try shortly after, but they allowed the re-start kick to find touch. The home side took advantage of resultant scrum feed, and Jack Howdle went over direct from the scrum and converted his own try.

Beverley ARLC side were forced to do some defending when a cross-field kick was fumbled close to their own line, but they proved equal to the task. Beverley absorbed the pressure and worked their way up field to score again. Jack Howdle’s long ball was heavily influential as the ball was shipped to the right to send full back Jack Tuttle over wide out.

Hillsborough Hawks pulled back a try before Jack Howdle cancelled the score out with a try of his own on the stroke of half time to send Beverley 22-10 up at the break.

As the game continued to see-saw the visitors opened the scoring early in the second half with a converted try to reduce the arrears to 22-16. The hosts manage to get back some good field position and after a good set replied with a try. Jack Howdle’s pinpoint accurate cross-field kick on the last tackle found Tom Shires lurking out wide.

The winger leaped up to score in the corner. The hosts now looked to turn the screw. A mazy run up the field by Jake Hart-Fisher set up good field position. A quick play the ball then saw Jack Howdle switch play to the blind side to send Josh Pooley over.

The pressure increased for the visitors when their re-start kick went dead on the full. In the resulting set, Craig Morfitt was sent over in the left-hand corner to stretch the home side’s lead to 34-16. Beverley appeared to be cruising towards victory but few lapses in concentration in defence allowed the visitors to pull back another try.

Hopes of a comeback for the visitors were soon dashed when fumbled the restart kick and turned over possession very close to their own line. The ensuing pressure saw another ex-Beverley Brave, who was making his debut,Saul Beavis grab a try from close range.

Both sides then tightened up in defence for the next 20 minutes before Beavis added his second try in the closing minutes. Man of the match was Louis Hubbard again ground out the hard yards and worked himself to a standstill in defence. Jack Howdle was a close contender with two tries, and numerous assists.

The blue and golds hit the road this Friday evening. They take on Bentley Good Companions (near Doncaster). Kick off is 7pm at the neighboring village of Wheatley Hills. The bus departs from the Hodgsons at 5.15pm with supporters welcomed.

Final Score: Beverley ARLC 46 Hillsborough Hawks 22 | Reported by Nick Robinson