After a bruising encounter last week at top of the table Middlesbrough, where Beverley represented themselves well but didn’t bring back any points, an away trip to the bottom of the table Bradford Salem looked an easier fixture, but there are no easy fixtures in Yorkshire one when you’re going through a transitional phase with the team and under a new head coach.
That head coach, Craig Hancock, was very pleased by the end of the afternoon having had a hard-fought battle with the home team who were looking for their third consecutive victory at home.
The supporters and guests at Beaver Park were treated to one more early Christmas present with another thrilling game of rugby between top of the table Old Crossleyans and Beverley.
Both teams battled to the end and delivered a very entertaining game of rugby, very well refereed by Simon Franks who allowed a fierce competition to ensue without too much incident and saw the home team give the top team only their second defeat of the season, Beverley 25 – 15 Old Crossleyans.
The supporters and guests at Beaver Park were treated to an early Christmas present from the players of Huddersfield YMCA and Beverley. Both teams battled to the end and delivered a very entertaining game of rugby with a thrilling finish.
A crunch game, two mid-table teams needing to find more points in the league, who delivered an exhilarating afternoon of rugby with the home team finishing victorious 34-30.
Never pretty to watch but in the end, it all came to life with an exciting finish. Given that they were never really competing in the first half this was a good result for Beverley.
Throughout the half, they had been dire, totally lacking in any urgency or adventure. It was as though they had been addressed pre-match by an official from the Health and Safety Executive. A better side than Leodensians might have put thirty or forty points past them before halftime.
Another Jekyll and Hyde day for Beverley – badly below par one week and at the top of their game the next. Having slipped in recent weeks to an uncomfortably low position in Yorkshire One they needed a good win and they got it.
This was more like it. After two lacklustre defeats, Beverley celebrated the Club’s Ladies Day with a convincing win to move up to fifth in the table.
Bradford are unlikely to be among the league’s front runners this year unlike Middlesborough and Old Crossleyans, Beverley’s last two opponents, but this was nonetheless an impressive showing by the home side.
After the turgid rugby of the British Lions South African tour watching rugby again as it should be played has been like a breath of fresh air. Sadly today it all came from Crossleyans.
Beverley were given the runaround for the whole of the first half and much of the second by a side which looked twice as determined and twice as quick. After their fine performance the previous week this was a hugely disappointing showing even allowing for the superior quality of this week’s opposition.
At last, Rugby returned to Beaver Park with Beverley entertaining Old Rishworthian RFC from Halifax and entertained them and a reasonable crowd to some highly promising rugby.
The Beavers have lost a number of last years squad but look to have a useful set of youngsters ready to replace them. Playing towards the clubhouse they took an early lead after 10 minutes through a Phil Duboulay penalty (3-0).
What an extraordinary match. The final score made it look close but it seldom was. After twenty-five minutes Beverley was cruising at 19 – 0 up and playing some fluent attacking rugby.
Fifty minutes later they were 40-26 down having been given a thorough going-over by a resurgent home side. A strong comeback in the last five minutes then brought them back up to within two points to earn them a bonus point.
Not much to write home about here. This was pretty dire stuff. Beverley will want to forget it as quickly as possible, and so will most of the spectators.
Pontefract were the better of the two sides and fully deserved their win but neither team or the game generally, ever really got going.
Beverley RUFC has been doing things the tough way this season, having had 4 narrow defeats and regular absenteeism through injury and unavailability, they still found themselves sitting third in the league with a fighting chance of regaining one of the top two spots.
An away trip to Leodiensian RUFC in Leeds, who are the only team to have beaten the previously undefeated top of the table Old Brodleians, was definitely an opportunity to succumb to a fifth defeat, given again there were many absentees from the starting line-up.
A dry day with high cloud and a gentle breeze and a pitch in very good condition given the recent wet weather, bode well for the game between these old rivals, who last competed in a league fixture in 2005.
There is no commentary around the first 5 minutes of the game as the referee blew his whistle for the game to start “a few minutes” early. Unfortunately, the news did not filter to the spectators in the bar.
Beverley knew the visit of Dinnington RUFC to Beaver Park was going to be a tough one after last season’s encounter when they stifled the Beverley game plan so effectively it was reminiscent of what South Africa did to England last weekend.
This occasion had a much better outcome for the Beavers, playing at home in the cold sunshine on a squelchy pitch, an entertaining 9 try game saw Beverley finish worthy winners 36-22.
Beverley knew the visit of Heath to Beaver Park was going to be a tough one. It always is, and more recently the men from Halifax have had the edge, utilising their strength to better advantage than Beverley’s.
Heath’s strength being a forward pack that is probably the strongest and best drilled in the league, Beverley’s strength is their fast and creative backs that can score tries from anywhere.
In recent seasons Beverley at Hullensians have performed wretchedly, suffered defeat, and seen their season start to fall away.
This time though they never looked remotely like the side that had racked up over two hundred points in their last four games they at least they came away with the five-point win they wanted.
