Blue & Golds Leave It Late To Secure Win Over West Bowling

A drop goal by Jack Humphries just three minutes from time clinched both league points for Beverley ARLC  in this titanic battle at the Beverley Leisure Centre.

A jubilant coach Pat Howdle said afterwards;

“Days like theses are why we play this game.” Adding,  “We went 14-4 down early in the second half and maybe feeling a little sorry for ourselves but we dug deep and got our rewards and I don’t think we will face any tougher opposition than this all season.”

Skipper Tom Radley also said;

“We showed great mental toughness today.”

In many ways it was a pity there had to be a loser in this game in an excellent advert for the Yorkshire Mens League. Both sets of forwards went at each-other hammer and tongs for the full eighty minutes.

There was no shortage of enterprising back play either as both sides scrambling defence was stretched to limit at regular intervals. Man of the match was Alex Calvert who really ground out the hard yards and was pushed close fro the award by Ryan Watkin playing in similar fashion.

The visitors from Bradford had the lion share of possession and territory in the opening exchanges and tested Beverley’s defensive resolve. Having kept the opposition at bay the home side were first to trouble the scoreboard.

After the ball was knocked down by a Bowling defender, Beverley got a repeat set. Craig Morfitt got over, was unable to ground the ball and was pushed back. Then a dart out of dummy half saw Tom Moor score too wide out for the extras to be added.

Beverley kept rolling forward a kick ahead was snatched by the opposition who counter-attacked up-field but Bobby Howdle came chasing back to snuff out the danger. In two more forays into opposition territory Lewis Poskitt’s teasing kicking game forced line drop-outs and knock-ons.

There was plenty of gusto in attack on both occasions but strong defending kept the home side out.

Tempers became a little frayed at this stage and fracas broke out between both sides ending with the referee calling upon both captains to tell their sides to cool things down a bit.

As half-time approached a kick ahead by Bowling saw them cause a mix up by the Beverley defenders. The ball was fumbled and Danny Halmshaw pounced to score a converted try.

A little indiscipline in the Beverley ranks led to a penalty which Ben Heald duly stroked over to send the visitors to the half-time dressing rooms 8-4 up.

The early moments of the second half spelled danger for Beverley as the game threatened to go away from them.

Five minutes in, a break saw an inside pass to Bowling’s man of the match Liam Cole who raced away 50 meters to score with Ben Heald. adding the extras.

Their lead nearly increased further only for them to to be pulled back for a forward pass. However 15 minutes into the half the fightback began aided by some penalties providing some improved territorial advantage.

One quality set asked a number of questions of the opposition and ended with the dancing feet of Jack Humphries taking on the defence to score. Bobby Howdle was this time able to convert.

Lewis Poskitt’s kicking game was heavily influential in the game and one such kick downfield saw the ball sit up teasingly in the corner. The Bowling winger was surrounded by the chasers and forced into touch.

The resulting possession saw Humphries and Chris Johnson combine for Humphries to take a return pass and score and level the scores as the extras were not added. The remaining 20 minutes of the game saw it balance on a knife edge. Lewis Poskitt then was twice unsuccessful with drop-goal attempts.

But as the minutes ticked down Jack Humphries became the hero as his attempt went straight as a dye through the up-rights to the roar of the crowd.

Final Score: Beverley ARLC 15 West Bowling 14 | Reported by Nick Robinson