Beverley Unders 14s enjoyed a double header this weekend, and perform exceptionally well in contrasting games.
On Saturday they took HymersCollege, Hull. Last season the Beverley team were comprehensively beaten, this season they were determined to ensure there was no repeat.
Hymers kicked off and after a couple of phases of play debutant Harrison Petrie scored with nearly his first touch, following this initial impact the Beverley team totally dominated all aspects of the match, and the floodgates well and truly opened.
Further tries from Petrie (3), Alex Nuttall also on his debut, Nathan Cullen (2), Tom Barnard (2), Sam Acaster, Toby Ashworth and Ben Walker grabbing a late hatrick also and a further six conversions by Barnard resulted in a 77-0 scoreline.
On Sunday the team travelled to Hull Ionians in a game that was certainly going to be more difficult than the day before. These are two well matched and it was always going be tough.
Ionians started well and put pressure on Beverley, but unfortunately the Beverley team were continually and bizarrely penalised time and time again, strong tackling from the Beverley forwards led by Ben Wilkinson with strong perfomances by Petrie, Walker and Ashworth along with new second row partnership of Nuttall and Josh Dillon, in the front row Alex Crockett, Harry Hesleton and Oliver Lazenby continually dominated scrums.
Eventually though the pressure Ionians were able to exerted led to them managing to score.
Unlike though in previous seasons this team will not give up and when allowed to play looked dangerous, half backs of Acaster and Eden Quantock can dictate play and centre partnership of Barnard and Cullen look dangerous at every opportunity.
As the first half continued Ionians where allowed the ball, after the continuation of being constantly penalised, this allowed Ionians to attack the Beverley defence until Barnard managed an interception to race half the pitch and score.
The second half continued in the same vein as the first, decisions constantly going against Beverley and Ionians seemingly allowed to play as they want, again a strange decision ended with Ionians scrapping over in the corner for a further try.
Beverley took opportunities when they could and Cullen raced through a number of defenders to manage a further try and bring the match to within 2 points, the Beverley team surged and dominated, but too often were penalised when good try scoring opportunities arose.
With Cullen strangely sin-bined with 5 minutes to go this left a gap in the defence line and attack and Ionians eventually managed to break through fro a well taken try with the last play of the match.
Parents player went to Harrison Petrie for a sensational weekend debut (special mention also to coaches for keeping relatively cool today in the face of referee decisions!!) and Coaches player of the day went to Nathan Cullen for his try, defence and sin-binning.
In truth a great weekend of rugby for the Beverley team, they have recruited well with new players who have energised the team, and there is a great and exciting feel around this team, they will get better every week and is an exciting time with the Under 14s camp.
Final Score: Hull Ionians 17 Beverley RUFC 10
