Back with a vengeance. After two disappointing defeats Beverley got their act together and played some thrilling rugby here to romp home with eleven tries, seven of them converted. Both these clubs have been having a mixed season and given their quality both should have started this game with a better league position. Today belonged entirely to Beverley whose speed and tempo of play never allowed Bradford a look-in. Beverley’s forwards have been playing consistently well but this time the back division made a fine contribution with a superb display of running rugby. They ran hard and straight, moved the ball quickly and, miracle of miracles, kept it simple. There was not a single penalty attempt at goal by either side all afternoon.
The game was marred early on by a serious injury to Lee Birch who was laid out cold and taken to hospital with concussion. Play was held up for fifteen minutes while he received attention by which time Beverley were already ahead from a try by Joe Pickets after a drive to the corner. Such is Beverley’s forward dominance at present that a penalty lineout anywhere near the opposition corner more often than not leads to a drive to the line and a try for Pickets. After half an hour from a second penalty line-out the move was duly repeated with the same result.
James Lowe rounded off a fine flowing move to touch down for a third try and Phil Duboulay dummied his way over to secure the four try bonus point. A yellow card for Bradford’s flanker Simon Hill had little effect on the pattern of play as Beverley merely continued to pour forward with wave after wave of attacks. A lovely run down the left by Richard Bussey set up a try on the opposite wing for Rob Smith and then Bussey himself touched down under the posts after a powering forty metre burst by Tonci Buzov.
38-0 up at halftime it remained to be seen whether Beverley would maintain the pace after the break or take their foot off the pedal. In the event they never let up and added another thirty one points in the second half.
Although it was already as good as over at halftime Bradford never stopped trying to run the ball and at no stage did they look like throwing the towel in. Given more ball the powerful James Morton in their left wing might have caused problems and scrum half Bills always had an eye for an opening. They also had a good deal of vocal encouragement from their number seven whose colourful language may, or may not, have provided inspiration. The truth was that the sheer pace of Beverley’s play simply never allowed Bradford to get going. Beverley’s front five held a vice like grip on the forward exchanges, Aaron Carroll and Paul Steadman controlled the line-outs, and any threat around the fringes was quickly snuffed out by the tackling of Pickets, Buzov and James Holland.
The tries kept coming. Pickets touched down for his third, Buzov got over from a line-out, substitute Andy Meagher added another, and Smith went in at the corner following a five metre scrum. Bradford had never really looked like scoring but they did eventually get some reward when Morton gathered a kick ahead and crossed for a try which fly half Nick Wainright converted.
As time ran out in the increasingly murky conditions play quickly reverted to the other end where Smith rounded off a fine afternoon for Beverley with a delightful chip over the defence, gathering the ball on the bounce and touching down under the posts for his third try. It was a good day for Beverley and a delight to see them once again playing the free-flowing rugby that brought them the runaway championship of North One last season. Satuerday there could not be said to be a weak link anywhere in the side and everybody contributed to a splendid team performance.
Final Score: Beverley RUFC 69 Bradford & Bingley 7 | Reported By John Nursey
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