Birkenhead Park are a most friendly club and their hospitality before and after the game is second to none. But out on their own pitch they are always a tough proposition and Beverley RUFC will not have relished travelling there today with another heavily patched up side.
The result was more or less inevitable and it was largely a question of how well Beverley RUFC would acquit themselves. Once again there was plenty of spirit but they were badly let down by woeful tackling. They played some good rugby in patches but always looked vulnerable whenever the home side had the ball. It was a credit to Beverley RUFC that they scored two tries of their own and they might well have finished up with a decent score if their place kicking had been better.
At least the return of Phil Duboulay was a bonus and he gave Beverley RUFC an early lead with a penalty but Birkenhead struck back immediately with two converted tries by fly half Danny Rich and winger Mike Chapman. Only eight minutes gone and Beverley RUFC were already trailing 14-3. It was purely down to poor tackling and this was to be Beverley RUFC’s bugbear all afternoon. They were particularly fragile down the right flank and every time Birkenhead attacked down Beverley RUFC’s right they looked like scoring. And usually they did. Twice more they moved the ball left down Beverley RUFC’s right bringing more converted tries by flanker Olly Mabbott and centre Geg Hughes.
Late in the half Beverley RUFC had a good spell with their forwards more than holding their own and Junior Tupai and Duboulay nearly carving out scoring openings. After their disastrous first ten minutes they had conceded only one further score and five minutes from halftime at 21-3 they briefly looked as though they might get back into the game. But just on halftime a Beverley RUFC clearance kick was charged down and slick handling sent Hughes in for his try taking Birkenhead to 28-3 at the interval.
The outcome was clearly settled and after that it was just a question of how many more. But Beverley RUFC started the second half well. They attacked the home line with a series of tapped penalties which eventually brought a try for Martin Shaw. Shaw gave it everything all afternoon in Beverley RUFC’s cause and he deserved his try. Unfortunately while Beverley RUFC toiled to gain ground Birkenhead were able to take play from one end to the other at a stroke by merely running the ball and sweeping aside poor defending on the way. Tries by full back Dave Hall and winger Gavin Scott took it to 40-8 with twenty five minutes remaining.
Beverley RUFC did make a decent fist of it in the later stages. Their defending improved and they created some good breaks. Tom Price and Rob Marsdon both broke clear from their own half and with better support might have scored. Ian Archibald coming out of retirement had a good game at scrum half before going off with a leg injury. Luckily he had retained the ability to throw out a fast direct pass from the base of the scrum and he put in some useful long range kicking.
Birkenhead added a seventh try from substitute hooker Christian Tyms and should have had a couple more at the death. As it was, the last quarter ended all square with Tym’s try being cancelled out by one from James Graham with a nice jinking run to touch down under the posts. Steve Johnson added the conversion.
With luck Beverley RUFC will have one or two of their injured players ready to return next week for the visit of fellow strugglers Altrincham Kersal. However, injuries or no injuries this is a game Beverley RUFC must win if they are going to keep their heads above water.
Final Score Birkenhead Park 47 Beverley RUFC 15 | Reported by John Nursey
