So near and yet so far. This was a heartbreaking result for Beverley RUFC who had played superbly throughout and were just five minutes away from inflicting only a second defeat of the season on the League Champions. It was a pulsating match from start to finish. Neither side ever got more than one score ahead and the afternoon was full of thrilling rugby in the spring sunshine. This was the best from Beverley RUFC for a long time, if not all season. Neither side deserved to lose but for Beverley RUFC, with the much needed victory snatched away at the death, the defeat was particularly hard.
Stockport set off like a train but Beverley RUFC weathered the early storm and took the lead with a penalty from Phil Dale after ten minutes. Three minutes later they would have doubled it had a second kick not rebounded from the post. However when Stockport were penalised for offside at a scrum Dale made no mistake and after half an hour Beverley RUFC were six points up.
Stockport are not league champions for nothing having already clinched the title by the beginning of April and suffering only one defeat along the way. But today was far from the easy ride they might have been expecting. Beverley RUFC matched them in all aspects of play and in all departments. The loss of Sam Atiola with a damaged hamstring made little difference. Indeed Jamie Gill who replaced him had a quite outstanding game operating at fly half. He moved the ball well and his kicking out of hand, apart from one ill-advised drop goal attempt, was the best we have seen from a Beverley RUFC player for some time. In the second half especially, his lofted kicks coming out of a bright sun frequently put the home defence in trouble.
The first half ended with a bad five minutes for Beverley RUFC. They had withstood a long period of sustained pressure on their line before fly half Jonny Edwards eventually crossed for a try and added the conversion himself to put Stockport 7-6 ahead. Then in the last action of the half Beverley RUFC were caught not releasing in front of the posts and Edwards slotted the penalty giving Stockport a 10-6 interval lead.
In the second half the tempo of the game if anything increased even more with both sides playing with abandon and enterprise. The powerful home forwards certainly took some stopping but the Beverley RUFC tackling never faltered. All eight forwards, and Manu Kirkwood when he came on, were outstanding, giving it everything and providing plenty of good ball for the backs. And for once the Beverley RUFC backplay could not be faulted. Gone was all the over-elaboration of recent weeks as the ball was moved swiftly through the hands. Hallelujah for that. Junior Tupai and Chris Harding linked well in the centre and Glen Walden and Anthony Spence showed plenty of endeavour down the wings. Dale at full back was always lively and made several outstanding try saving tackles. For the first time in ages the backline looked a potent force.
Dale kicked a penalty to reduce it to 10-9 and Beverley RUFC went hard for the lead. Sadly in a promising attack down the right the ball was lost in the home 22 and Stockport full back George Cook raced away for a breakaway try to increase the lead to six points. Another Dale penalty reduced it to three points and then Beverley RUFC went 17-15 ahead when a long range Dale penalty rebounded off the post allowing Walden, racing in at speed, to gather the ball and cross for a try. It looked like being Beverley RUFC’s day but with five minutes left they lost possession at a maul out wide and substitute Phil Leigh broke through the middle for a match winning converted try.
A disappointing finish but for Beverley RUFC a fine performance nonetheless, and the poor form of recent weeks must surely now have been put firmly behind them.
Final Score Stockport 22 Beverley 17 | Reportde by John Nursey
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