The blue and golds secured two more league points towards their title aspirations despite a number of absentees last Saturday at Cottingham.
Ryan Watkin, Glen Anfield, Ben Calvert, Louis Hubbard and Lee Falcus were all missing with a combination of holiday and work commitments, which handed opportunities to a number of squad members who have thus far been on the fringes a little this season.
Billy Riby was drafted into the half backs, Joe Wileman and Paul Atkinson were drafted into the pack. There was also a return for Sam Coleman after a long spell away in the Army and a debut for ex-Beverley Brave Harry Bulleyment.
Beverley ARLC started very slowly. Their timing looked a little out with passes going to ground and silly penalties conceded for offsides and interferance at the play the ball.
It took until the 20th minute for Sam Coleman to break away and score and break the deadlock. The conversion was missed but Steve Connolly was on hand to send Coleman away for his second shortly after. Jack Howdle this time converted. With half time fast approaching Harry Bulleyment’s strong surge set up good field position.
After a quick play the ball, quick hands to the right sent Paul Atkinson over too wide out for the score to be improved. The two sides turned around with Beverley 14-0 up. Early in the second half Jack Howdle’s strong burst and slipped pass sent Craig Morfitt away for an unconverted try wide out.
They then followed a passing movement deep inside the Beverley 20 meter zone which saw Jake Hart-Fisher break away and go 70 meters upfield to score despite a determined chase by Cottingham. Howdle converted. There was more woe for the home side when some over-ambitious handling in their own half of the field proved to be their undoing. The ball went to ground and was scooped up by Lewis Poskitt who sprinted away to score and convert his own try.
Cottingham then enjoyed some improved possession and territory aided by a string of penalties, which resulted in an unconverted try in the corner. This proved to be brief respite as soon after Jack Howdle broke through to send the impressive full back Alex Nightingale over beside the posts for Poskitt to convert.
The momentum continued when a good break out of defence from Jake Hart-Fisher set things up. Quick hands to the left then sent Josh Pooley away to beat the chasing cover defence to score wide out. Poskitt added the difficult conversion on a windy afternoon.
There was a consolation score to the hosts before Josh Pooley added his second try after some more deft handling out to the left flank. This was the final score of the afternoon of which Billy Riby was the man of the match in a close vote.
With the climax to the season is now approaching, and one of those vital four-pointers will take place this Saturday. Beverley will take on Myton Academy away.
The two sides previous meetings this season have seen Beverley defeat Myton 20-14 at Myton in the Tom Beautiman Cup and Myton defeat Beverley at the Leisure Centre 22-17 courtesy of a try just three minutes from time in the league.
Beverley hope to welcome back all of last weeks absent players in a game they know they must be at their ruthless best with no time for any concentration lapses, especially late in the game. Kick-off is 2pm at the Marist Sporting
Club, Cranbrook Avenue.
Final Score : Cottingham Tigers 10 Beverley Arlc 46 | Reported By Nick Robinson
