At last, Rugby returned to Beaver Park with Beverley entertaining Old Rishworthian RFC from Halifax and entertained them and a reasonable crowd to some highly promising rugby.
The Beavers have lost a number of last years squad but look to have a useful set of youngsters ready to replace them. Playing towards the clubhouse they took an early lead after 10 minutes through a Phil Duboulay penalty (3-0).
A busy day at Beaver park – the first team game was pre-empted with an excellent win for Beverley Under 14’s in the semi-final of the Yorkshire cup against Otley. Good luck in the final, also at Beaver Park in a couple of week’s time.
The annual Old Boys reunion was already in full throw by the kick off time. It was great to see the crowd boosted by many old friends of bygone ages.
What an extraordinary match. The final score made it look close but it seldom was. After twenty-five minutes Beverley was cruising at 19 – 0 up and playing some fluent attacking rugby.
Fifty minutes later they were 40-26 down having been given a thorough going-over by a resurgent home side. A strong comeback in the last five minutes then brought them back up to within two points to earn them a bonus point.
Beverley RUFC has been doing things the tough way this season, having had 4 narrow defeats and regular absenteeism through injury and unavailability, they still found themselves sitting third in the league with a fighting chance of regaining one of the top two spots.
An away trip to Leodiensian RUFC in Leeds, who are the only team to have beaten the previously undefeated top of the table Old Brodleians, was definitely an opportunity to succumb to a fifth defeat, given again there were many absentees from the starting line-up.
A game between third and fourth prior to the fixture was always going to be a tight affair and so it proved on a filthy day at Beaver Park.
Selby kicked off towards the clubhouse and straight away Beverley were able to sustain possession through a series of phases and pin back Selby back with some clever kicking by Phil Duboulay. With the lineout and scrum functioning better than in recent weeks the Beavers were able to establish some control.
Beverley knew the visit of Dinnington RUFC to Beaver Park was going to be a tough one after last season’s encounter when they stifled the Beverley game plan so effectively it was reminiscent of what South Africa did to England last weekend.
This occasion had a much better outcome for the Beavers, playing at home in the cold sunshine on a squelchy pitch, an entertaining 9 try game saw Beverley finish worthy winners 36-22.
Beverley knew the visit of Heath to Beaver Park was going to be a tough one. It always is, and more recently the men from Halifax have had the edge, utilising their strength to better advantage than Beverley’s.
Heath’s strength being a forward pack that is probably the strongest and best drilled in the league, Beverley’s strength is their fast and creative backs that can score tries from anywhere.
In recent seasons Beverley at Hullensians have performed wretchedly, suffered defeat, and seen their season start to fall away.
This time though they never looked remotely like the side that had racked up over two hundred points in their last four games they at least they came away with the five-point win they wanted.
The first home game for Beverley RUFC of the Yorkshire Division One Rugby Football Union kicked off on Saturday against Old Leodiensians, at Beaver Park.
Beverley needed to bounce back after their narrow defeat the week before away to Old Brodleians and show some of their trademark entertaining rugby – which they did in abundance.
With several of their most influential players absent, this looked like being a tough afternoon for Beverley. Not a bit of it. This was an altogether absorbing match and a fine performance by the young Beverley side.
In recognition of the Club’s annual Ladies Day, they turned out in pink shirts and flowery shorts but mercifully did not play accordingly. Far from being a drab end of season affair, this was a cracking game with some top quality play by both sides.
After fifteen minutes this match looked certain to end with a comfortable bonus-point win for Beverley. After eighty minutes they had been soundly beaten and deservedly so.
Their game fell away to an alarming extent as the match wore on – perhaps not becoming quite as dire as the shambles at Hullensians but not far off it.
Beware the ides of March. But not this week. After the dismal affair a week ago at Dinnington Beverley were back on top form securing another outstanding bonus point win – the seventh in their last eight games.
Crossleyans started the match only one point behind Beverley but never really got a look-in and Beverley comfortably cruised home scoring six tries in the process all of which Phil Duboulay converted in difficult conditions.
