It was almost bound to happen. In all the years these sides have been playing each other it is hard to remember Beverley RUFC ever visiting Scatcherd Lane without making a pig’s ear of it. Today they did it big time.
With five minutes left they had the game won at 12-9 but their ill-discipline, which had prevailed all afternoon, cost them the match as Morley kicked two penalties at the death to snatch victory.
From bitter experience Beverley know that so long as you keep giving Morley penalties their winger Simon Bradshaw will go on punishing you for it. Today he kicked five out of the seven on offer. Victory had been handed to Morley on a plate. They got the win and deserved it.
After just eight minutes there was an ominous sign of things to come. Bradshaw had already slotted one penalty and he was then offered another when Beverley were marched back ten metres for backchat. It took the penalty to within kickable distance of goal and Bradshaw made no mistake.
Morley are a workmanlike team. They keep to the basics and do it well. Beverley in contrast have flair and pace and looked the more dangerous side. They created numerous chances which should have brought scores but each opportunity foundered through either abysmal handling or over-elaboration.
Goran Jelencic on the wing was their greatest threat but he hardly ever saw the ball. It did not help much either having front row forwards constantly standing out in the backline which seemed more often a hindrance than a help.
Still, one converted try would have given Beverley the lead and they always looked capable of getting it. But after half an hour they went two scores behind when they were penalised for crossing and over went Bradshaw’s third penalty. 9-0 down Beverley now badly needed a score. Their pack was playing well and increasingly dominating the forward exchanges but Morley continued to keep them out.
Jonny Stephenson in the second row was having a good game both in the loose and the set pieces. The front row of Manu Kirkwood, Alex Ogilvie and Sam Kerry were also putting themselves about to good effect. Flanker Joe Picketts too was prominent but Picketts remains an enigma. For all the good work he does – and he does plenty – his yellow cards and constant infringing are a luxury Beverley cannot afford.
Halftime arrived with Picketts and Morley’s skipper Mark Chester both in the sin bin after a fracas. After the break Beverley came out with all guns blazing and within four minutes had scored a good try by Fraley Hopa. Another try would give them the lead and they went for it. Morley were never let off the hook throughout the second half and they hardly ever managed to get into Beverley territory. Yet still they somehow held out thanks to some determined defending and a good deal of Beverley carelessness.
Eventually with five minutes left Beverley got the breakthrough. A Morley clearance kick was fielded in the Beverley half and Richard Bussey sprinted sixty metres down the left touchline for a match winning try. Phil Duboulay converted to take Beverley to 12-9. It was as good as all over.
But Beverley being Beverley they immediately tried to run from their own line instead of kicking clear, lost the ball and gave away a penalty which levelled the scores. With the last action of the match they did exactly the same thing again and Bradshaw slotted his fifth penalty to snatch the win.
Quite what it is about this away fixture at Morley that always brings out the worst in Beverley it is hard to fathom. They should have won this game comfortably and had plenty of opportunities to do so but once again their ill-discipline cost them dear.
One defeat in six is still a good start to the season but come next April this defeat might well prove to have been costly in the fight for promotion.
Final Score: Morley 15 Beverley RUFC 12 | Reported by John Nursey
