This was a great performance by a Beverley side heavily outweighed by their much bigger opponents who badly needed a win to maintain their challenge to make the playoff for promotion to North 1.
Phil Duboulay opened the scoring for the Beavers with a penalty after 10 minutes and after 17 minutes Beverley went further ahead with a smart try from Luke Hazell which Phil Duboulay duly converted to make it 10-0 to the home side.
York were looking decidedly rattled at this point and stand off Neil McClure missed two very kickable penalties at goal before changing tactics and kicking a third to the corner after 20 minutes. York won the resulting lineout and used their muscle to drive the maul over the line for the pushover try to make the score 10-5. Again their stand off was unable to convert and Phil Duboulay pegged them back with another penalty for Beverley (13-5).
Back came York and after a period of intense pressure on the Beverley line lock Chris Fox was at the back of the maul and touched down for another pushover try to the visitors to make it 13-10. At last York’s McClure found his kicking boots and his conversion made the score 13-12 at half time.
Immediately at the start of the second half Phil Duboulay increased the Beavers lead to 16-12 with another penalty but 2 minutes later York hit back with yet another pushover try by Chris Fox converted by Neil McClure to take the lead by 16-19 and followed this with another pushover from Josh Parker to make it 16 – 24.
Beverley were having difficulty handling the mauling of the York forwards who were very adept at the tactic, quite apart from being considerably larger and things were looking ominous for them whenever the York forwards pressed their line.
However after 60 minutes, the introduction of Will Turnbull lead to a great move from the Beverley midfield and suddenly Isaac Keighley who had made some great carries all afternoon burst through the middle and scored under the posts. Phil Duboulay converted and the Beavers were back to within one point at 23-24.
York then mounted attack after attack but Beverley kept them at bay and after 70 minutes were awarded a penalty. Jamie Gill converted this in the absence by now of Phil Duboulay to give the Beavers a two point lead at 26 – 24.
York then spent the last 10 minutes camped on the Beverley line in a desperate attempt to snatch the points but heroic defending by the Beavers managed to keep them out and victory was theirs.
Beverley were missing a few players as no doubt were York this being quite an important International weekend but both sides contributed to an entertaining contest which the Beavers just about deserved to win.
Final Score : Bevelrey RUFC 26 York 24
