Against a side with seven wins out of eight this was always going to be a tough game for Beverley RUFC. They stuck at it well in the first half and at the interval trailed only 16-3 but in the second half they were totally outplayed and finally went down to a heavy defeat. After the great spirit shown in recent games when playing against the odds with a makeshift side today’s second half performance was something of a disappointment. In too many positions they were simply not good enough and the longer the game went on the more Mowden were able to break through at will.
Beverley RUFC got off to the worst possible start. They allowed the ball from the kick-off to bounce, got themselves in a hopeless muddle, and then conceded a penalty which was converted from in front of the posts by fly half Grant Common. Beverley RUFC might have struck back five minutes later with a penalty awarded in a similar position at the other end but they elected to run the ball and made a mess of it. It was not the only time in the game that over-hasty Beverley RUFC decision making proved to be ill advised.
Once they had settled Beverley RUFC fought back courageously. There was plenty of ambition and enterprise with Phil Duboulay and Junior Tupai moving the ball to good effect but sadly it was all taking place in the Beverley RUFC half. Beverley RUFC struggled to get into the home half and on twenty minutes fell further behind when a clearance kick was charged down letting centre Chris Peace in for an easy try. A lovely break and run by Duboulay nearly brought Beverley RUFC a try in return but he had no support, although it did lead to a penalty which he slotted over.
Only 8-3 down after half an hour Beverley RUFC were making a good fight of it. Then in the final ten minutes of the half they fell further behind. First they lost a lineout on their own throw deep in enemy territory and Mowden swept to the other end for a try in the corner by flanker Junior Fagalilo; and then on the stroke of halftime Common added another penalty to make it 16-3. All the home points in the first half had come directly from Beverley RUFC errors.
The second half was a different story. Despite a storming effort by David Worrall the pack was heavily outgunned and Beverley RUFC simply crumbled against a side playing with increasing verve and confidence. Within five minutes of the re-start any chance of a Beverley RUFC come-back had disappeared when Mowden prop Danny Dixon crossed under the posts for a converted try taking them twenty points clear. Beverley RUFC could get little possession and it looked suspiciously as though their heart was going out of it. Within the space of five minutes number eight James Knox and hooker Andrew Tonkin both went over for converted tries as more and more gaps in the Beverley RUFC defence were opening up. From the restart after the second Mowden ran the ball straight back and Peace cut through the middle for a sixth try.
To their credit Beverley RUFC never stopped trying to play expansive rugby but they simply could not get their hands on the ball often enough to make any impression. It was mostly a question of grinding their way out of their own half only to be penned back in it by the speedy home backs.
All afternoon there was a zip about the Mowden play that Beverley RUFC just could not match. Mowden are undoubtedly a good side, now deservedly heading the table, and they were able to exploit Beverley RUFC’s defensive frailties with ease. With five minutes remaining Mowden winger Chris McTurk chipped ahead for scrum half Max Connon to cross for a final converted try and round off the scoring. A disappointing day for Beverley RUFC but the final result perhaps not wholly unexpected.
Final Score: Darlington Mowden Park 49 Beverley RUFC 3 | Reported by John Nursey
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