Beverley RUFC travelled to Leeds on Saturday and were able to record their 11 th victory in their last 13 matches, this despite the disruption of arriving half an hour late due to the team coach breaking down on the journey.
This meant that the pre match warm up needed to be curtailed but nevertheless they started brightly and after 8 minutes Jack Garvin raced in for an excellent try on the right wing which Phil Duboulay converted to give them a 7 point lead.
After a spell of scrappy play Yarnbury hit back and were awarded a penalty which Kieron Davies converted (3-7). The big powerful Yarnbury pack were proving difficult for the Beavers to hold but they stuck to their guns well and gradually began to achieve parity.
After 20 minutes, quick ball from a forward drive led to centre Will Turnbull speeding over wide out to make the score 3 points to 12 but Yarnbury hit back with a penalty by Davies followed by a converted try by their openside flanker to take the lead by 13 points to 12.
They increased this lead to 18-12 on 35 minutes and were beginning to look like taking control, capitalising on a series of mistakes in execution by Beverley. However, on the stroke of half time, Jack Garvin again sliced through the defence to touch down for his second try to reduce the arrears to one point.
From the kick off for the second half Beverley won a scrum on their 22 metre line. Will Harrison put in a nice little box kick and Jack Garvin, following up well, was rewarded with a kindly bounce and showed a clean pair heels to the Yarnbury defence to score a great try to make the score 18 points to 22. Jack’s hat trick and Beverley bonus point.
Back came Yarnbury with a piece of luck when a mix up in calls following an up and under kick in front of the Beavers’ posts gifted them a try and an easy conversion (25-22).
Next in this end to end exciting contest came, probably, the try of the match when lock Jack Houseman broke from half way and, showing an extraordinary amount of pace, outstripped the defence to touch down under the posts for the try which Phil Duboulay duly converted (25-29).
Yarnbury were not finished yet however and mounted a siege on the Beverley line lasting for nearly 10 minutes, during which desperate defending cost the Beavers two yellow cards. With only 13 men on the pitch, the inevitable try came from a Yarnbury pushover (30-29) and with less than five minutes remaining, Beverley were up against it.
However, displaying their now expected resilience, they came back up the field and, with time running out, were awarded a penalty which Phil Duboulay slotted home to give them the victory by 30 points to 32.
Supporting Beverley lately is certainly putting a strain on the heart as this is the third time in recent games that they have pulled victory from the face of defeat. They play some great and entertaining rugby and that style is bound to lead to mistakes on execution. This is so refreshing to see and long may it continue.
Yarnbury played their part in this most enjoyable match played in brilliant weather and so did the young referee Dan Rowlands on exchange from the Warwickshire society who handle the game extremely well to keep it flowing.
Final Score: Yarnbury 30 Beverley RUFC 32
