The first game of the 22/23 season kicked off for Beverley RUFC away at newly promoted Wetherby RUFC, so the Beavers were unsure what their opponents had to offer.
It was the first time that they had ever played in Yorkshire Division One and wanted to put in a fine performance in memory of life-long member Jerome Connolly.
Not necessarily the sort of last game Director of Rugby John Harris would have wished for before retiring after his long and devoted stint with the club.
What promised to be an open encounter with plenty of running rugby in fine conditions with nothing at stake for either side sadly descended into a farcical finish.
The last home game of the 21/22 season at Beaver Park was against Roundhegians RUFC, both teams equal on points in Yorkshire Division One, and the conditions were good, so there was a promise of an entertaining game of rugby, which the supporters were treated too.
An entertaining game of end-to-end rugby which saw Beverley finish victorious 31 – 21. Matchday sponsors Darren Hart from Groundtech and Iain Gillard from Big Box Group brought a good number of guests to the already excited ‘last match at home’ vibe, rounded off with a positive result meant the atmosphere at Beaver Park was buzzing.
The visitors to Beaver park were Pontefract RUFC, flying high in the Yorkshire One table, and needing just one more victory to secure promotion their spirits were raised further upon arrival when they realised it was Ladies Day at Beverley RUFC.
The local derby trip to Bridlington for the Beavers was always going to be a tough challenge. The previous week Brid came away with an away win at top of the table Old Crossleyans and look to have secured the fourth spot in the league, which is the last promotion spot.
The weather was good for an open game of rugby, and in patches, Beverley’s backs looked impressive, unfortunately, the power of the imported front row and backline of the forward pack was too much, and Bridlington was deserved winners by the end of the afternoon scoring 46 points to Beverley’s 15.
Frequent spells of swirling rain and a fierce wind blowing diagonally from corner to corner; it might have been expected that this would be an afternoon of uninspiring rugby for supporters and those attending the ex-players reunion.
But surprisingly both sides made light of the conditions and produced an enthralling game with plenty of running rugby and end to end action.
The trip to Selby for the Beavers was always going to be a tough challenge, the physicality of the Selby pack and their ever-improving form in the league would always be a big test, especially for a Beverley team that has only won once this side of Christmas.
However, there was some hope as the weather relented the sun shone and the pitch was firm, although a little billowy there was a chance that Beverley’s own style of play might be allowed, and there was a sense of genuine hope that a victory might be achievable.
Not a day to remember. Or at any rate not for the rugby. Persistent heavy rain and a fierce downfield wind meant that from start to finish this game never developed into anything much more than a relentless forward slog. Expansive running rugby was out of the question.
On a dry day, this might have been an enthralling encounter between these old rivals. Goole arrived on the back of an upturn in form and an impressive victory the previous week against the league leaders.
After a bruising encounter last week at top of the table Middlesbrough, where Beverley represented themselves well but didn’t bring back any points, an away trip to the bottom of the table Bradford Salem looked an easier fixture, but there are no easy fixtures in Yorkshire one when you’re going through a transitional phase with the team and under a new head coach.
That head coach, Craig Hancock, was very pleased by the end of the afternoon having had a hard-fought battle with the home team who were looking for their third consecutive victory at home.
Not one of Beverley’s better days. They were unlucky in that the rub of the green throughout seemed to go against them but they were nonetheless well beaten here by a more determined and better-organised side.
Had Beverley played with the same finesse and vigour as they did in the thrilling victory against Huddersfield YMCA they would almost certainly have won this game comfortably.
The supporters and guests at Beaver Park were treated to an early Christmas present from the players of Huddersfield YMCA and Beverley. Both teams battled to the end and delivered a very entertaining game of rugby with a thrilling finish.
A crunch game, two mid-table teams needing to find more points in the league, who delivered an exhilarating afternoon of rugby with the home team finishing victorious 34-30.
This match had everything you would expect from a local derby plenty of tries, lots of incidents, red and yellow cards, and most of all lots of talking points.
It was a tale of the rapier versus the bludgeon from the off, with Beverley’s fast and flowing start sparked by Dan Lee’s incisive break leading to a switch of play from left to right resulting in a well-worked try for Jake Boardman.
Never pretty to watch but in the end, it all came to life with an exciting finish. Given that they were never really competing in the first half this was a good result for Beverley.
Throughout the half, they had been dire, totally lacking in any urgency or adventure. It was as though they had been addressed pre-match by an official from the Health and Safety Executive. A better side than Leodensians might have put thirty or forty points past them before halftime.
Another Jekyll and Hyde day for Beverley – badly below par one week and at the top of their game the next. Having slipped in recent weeks to an uncomfortably low position in Yorkshire One they needed a good win and they got it.
Beverley’s rollercoaster season continued following last week’s sublime performance with a disjointed display that saw Beverley crash to their third defeat of the season 23 – 10 away from home at the hands of West Leeds.
This was more like it. After two lacklustre defeats, Beverley celebrated the Club’s Ladies Day with a convincing win to move up to fifth in the table.
Bradford are unlikely to be among the league’s front runners this year unlike Middlesborough and Old Crossleyans, Beverley’s last two opponents, but this was nonetheless an impressive showing by the home side.
Middlesbrough kicked off on a bright sunny afternoon at Beaver Park and the Beavers immediately set up camp in the visitors 22.
After 5 minutes Rob Smith scooted over for a try which Phil Duboulay converted (7-0). He followed this 2 minutes later by making a fine break and putting Jake Boardman in for a try which Duboulay again converted to make it 14 points to nil and to set their supporters cheering after last week’s disappointing result at Old Crossleyans.
After the turgid rugby of the British Lions South African tour watching rugby again as it should be played has been like a breath of fresh air. Sadly today it all came from Crossleyans.
Beverley were given the runaround for the whole of the first half and much of the second by a side which looked twice as determined and twice as quick. After their fine performance the previous week this was a hugely disappointing showing even allowing for the superior quality of this week’s opposition.