No Joy For Beverley in Local Derby as Pocklington Triumph

Beverley were totally outplayed in all departments and went down to a heavy defeat in their local derby at Pocklington. They showed plenty of spirit and stuck at it to the end but the result was never really in doubt from the time Pocklington took the lead in the eighth minute. Beverley simply had no answer to the slick play and powerful running of the home side who on this showing look a good bet for a play-off place.

Pocklington had the advantage of the stiff breeze in the first half and made good use of it with a stream of well judged high upfield kicks. After eight minutes a penalty kick from deep in their own half found touch some sixty metres upfield within striking distance of the Beverley line. Beverley survived the lineout but from the subsequent scrum Pocklington drove to the line and scrum half Ben Rees touched down.

After that it was more or less steady one way traffic. Five minutes later wing Charlie Wilson went over in the corner and direct from the restart Beverley failed to deal with a high lofted kick back at them allowing Pocklington centre James Flint to race over for a third try.

For the second week running the Beverley forwards were shovelled backwards in the scrums by a far heftier pack. They gave it their all in the loose but there were too many basic errors and Pocklington were quick to take advantage. Not only did Pocklington dominate the forward play but Beverley struggled throughout to come to terms with the home backs who ran powerfully and effectively. A wild Beverley pass near their own line let in Pocklington number eight Joe Brown for a fourth try which fly half Matt Procter converted and on the stroke of halftime a converted penalty try took it to 29-0 at the interval.

Beverley had the strong wind behind them in the second half but overturning a 29 point deficit looked unlikely. They did get going with a nice try by wing Luke Hazell who took an interception thirty metres out and raced clear to the line. Phil Duboulay converted and Beverley’s hopes briefly flickered. They began to get more of the ball and moved it ambitiously but they could make little impact against a solid defence. While Pocklington backs with ball in hand always seemed to have plenty of time and space too often in the Beverley back-play ball and tackler arrived together. Beyond a couple of nice Duboulay breaks it was difficult to remember any real penetration through the home line all afternoon.

In one brief promising spell Alex McPeake nearly got there but it was the nearest Beverley came to adding to their score. They lost hooker Martin Shaw early in the half which did not help but it made little difference to the outcome. Pocklington broke clear down their right touchline and Wilson went over in the corner for his second try. The pack then drove over from a penalty lineout for Pocklington’s seventh, which Rees converted, and when Beverley failed to deal with a kick ahead down the Pocklington left Procter crossed for a converted eighth. As the game petered out in the bitter cold Pocklington added a ninth try from a tap penalty, flanker Matt Davies getting the touchdown.

After their fine performance the previous week this was a hugely disappointing day for Beverley. The spirit remains high but given their league position it is results they need. This young Beverley side looked very lightweight against a team which was altogether bigger, more experienced, and streetwise. The heavy defeat sends them back to the bottom but oddly enough with results elsewhere going their way and with games in hand they find themselves in the position of having it entirely within their own hands to escape the relegation places. But if they are going to do so they will need to recapture their form of the previous week.

Final Score: Pocklington 53 Beverley RUFC 7 | Reported by John Nursey