This was a bit more like it. After their disappointing display the previous week Beverley RUFC got themselves together today and ended up with a much needed five point win. It was a hard-fought affair and in truth for half the match things were not that much better than at Morley.
Cleckheaton are a big powerful side not to be messed with, and for most of the first half their fly half Ian Gordon ran the show. But Beverley RUFC came back strongly after the break and eventually simply wore them down. In the end Beverley RUFC probably just about deserved the win by virtue of their increasing dominance as the game wore on.
After twenty minutes Cleckheaton were six points up through two Gordon penalties and Beverley RUFC had hardly had a sniff of the visitors’ line. A lovely kick into the corner by Phil Duboulay eventually got them there and from the lineout the pack drove over with Manu Kirkwood getting the touchdown. Only one point in it but Cleckheaton stretched away again after Beverley RUFC lost a lineout in their own 22 and winger Martin Woodhead went over in the opposite corner. Gordon kicked the conversion and then added another penalty to increase the lead even further to 16-5.
With halftime approaching things were not looking too rosy for Beverley RUFC and they did not inspire much confidence of being able to turn it round. Then out of the blue David Worrall with a tremendous run from a tapped free kick threaded his way through the visitors’ defence for a superb try which Duboulay converted from the touchline. Suddenly Beverley RUFC were right back in it. Despite Gordon slotting a fourth penalty for Cleckheaton only a converted try separated the two sides at the interval.
Beverley RUFC started to put together some nice touches after the break. But the breakthrough would not quite come. A fine turn of speed down the left touchline by Craig Hancock would have brought a try had the final pass to Chris Infield not gone to ground. A counter attack by Richard Bussey might have brought another if he had not gone right and thereby ignored a two man overlap on his left. Sam Atiola would have been clear had he not knocked on when the ball ran loose in midfield. And so it went on. But Beverley RUFC were in the ascendancy and eventually they drew level with another lovely try by Worrall who dummied his way over into the corner. Duboulay again converted from the touchline and at 19-19 it was all square.
As the game went into its later stages Beverley RUFC increasingly took command. Cleckheaton however were by no means done and they never stopped attacking. But they had lost their early edge and their attacks posed fewer problems for the home defence although their winger Wilson was unlucky to be called back for a dubious-looking earlier infringement after he had intercepted and raced over for what might have been a match winning try.
Despite increasing pressure on their line Cleckheaton held out until ten minutes from time when Duboulay kicked a penalty from in front after Fraley Hopa had stormed to the line. Only three points in it and almost immediately it would have been all square again but for Gordon narrowly missing a fifth penalty attempt. Beverley RUFC badly needed a fourth try to make the game safe and to earn a bonus point. It eventually came in injury time when they won a lineout in the corner and moved the ball right for Bussey to go over. Duboulay converted to give Beverley RUFC a ten point victory which on the overall balance of play might have left Cleckheaton feeling a bit hard done by.
For Beverley RUFC it was a good win and they got the five points they desperately wanted to keep them neck and neck with Wheatley Hills at the top of North One East. The season now seems to be moving ominously towards a showdown between the two in a month’s time.
Final Score : Beverley RUFC 29 Cleckheaton 19 | Reported by John Nursey
[nggallery id=2498]
