A rather curious match. Beverley RUFC opened their league season with a visit to newly promoted Burnage and for the first time had to contend with an artificial playing surface. How much this affected their game is uncertain but in the end they were well beaten by a lively Burnage side which was clearly at home on the plastic surface.
With several senior players not yet available Beverley RUFC fielded a team containing more than a smattering of juniors and young players making their debuts. But the side performed creditably and in the end were unlucky not to have anything to show for what had been a closely fought encounter. Burnage’s victory probably owed as much as anything to their ability to make better use of their opportunities. It was all played in a good spirit with not a yellow card in sight and only one penalty attempt at goal all game.
Burnage got off to a storming start and for ten minutes Beverley RUFC had to fight a desperate rearguard action. Artificial playing surfaces are clearly conducive to fast moving rugby and Burnage looked to be well adapted to this sort of game. The entire match in fact had a frenetic look about it. For a long spell Burnage pounded the Beverley RUFC line with slick running and handling although without ever being quite able to create any clear-cut openings against good defending. Indeed, once Beverley RUFC began to get into their stride their own attacks looked more potent with David Worrall, James McKay, and Junior Tupai in particular several times opening up the Burnage defence with clean breaks. Only poor handling denied them any further progress.
Beverley RUFC gradually came into their own and for twenty minutes enjoyed increasing domination. They began to control the game up front with newcomer Ryan Waudby and Phil Duboulay at halfback keeping the backline well supplied with quick ball. Duboulay had an outstanding game, as did Worrall and Francis Pickering in the forwards. Glen Walden on the wing also had his moments and will be sadly missed when he returns to university.
The game looked to be heading Beverley RUFC’s way until on 22 minutes they surprisingly went behind. Totally against the run of play Burnage took the lead when a lofted kick into the Beverley RUFC half bounced fortuitously straight back into advancing hands. Beverley RUFC somehow managed to kick the ball clear but centre Stu Oldham pounced to cut through to the posts leaving Adam Knight with a simple conversion.
Turning round 7-0 down Beverley RUFC still looked the likely winners. Sadly they started the second half poorly and never really got going. A second converted try for Burnage by lock Nick Scholes after only four minutes took the home side fourteen points clear, and when substitute scrum half Tom Blaney added a third try ten minutes later Beverley RUFC were left facing an uphill struggle.
But they stuck at it and fought hard to get back into the match. Although Oldham added a fourth try for Burnage five minutes from time the last quarter belonged to Beverley RUFC. Time and again they got to within inches of the home line only to be thwarted by outstanding defending. The narrowness of the pitch did not seem to help. Burnage tackled superbly but Beverley RUFC invariably appeared to be crowded out by a sheer lack of width whenever the line beckoned.
Burnage were good value for their win and look capable of more than holding their own in League Three North. How they will fare on normal pitches remains to be seen. For Beverley RUFC judgement on their prospects needs to be reserved until they are up to full strength and can be assessed on how they perform on grass pitches. On the evidence here, despite this initial defeat, there seems no reason why Beverley RUFC should not look forward to having a decent season.
Reported by John Nursey
Final Score Burnage 24 Beverley RUFC 0
