BEVERLEY   7   DUDLEY KINGSWINFORD  3

                What a day for Beverley.  A moment of brilliance midway through the first half secured them victory in their North One play-off to bring them a remarkable fourth consecutive promotion.  On the day little of the rugby will linger long in the memory of the large crowd present but this was a match all about the end result.  Beverley were far from their best but they won because they simply tackled their opponents out of the game and never allowed the big Dudley pack to get the total domination it continually threatened. 

                The first half was a dour affair.  There was scarcely any fluid rugby and the play spluttered along in fits and starts due largely to numerous and lengthy stoppages for Dudley players going to ground with injuries.  The Dudley game plan was clearly to use their big pack to grind relentlessly forward and this it was able to do against the lighter Beverley eight.  In the lineouts too they were able to dominate thanks partly to some outstanding jumping by number five Shaun Griffiths and partly to some wayward Beverley throwing in and catching.  Only in the second half when they used Gavin Gibson more could Beverley get on terms in the lineouts. 

                After an even start with neither side making much of an impact Beverley suddenly cut loose and got what turned out to be the decisive score.  From a lineout on halfway they moved the ball out quickly to David Worrall who was positioned in midfield.  Worrall in possession and in full flight is a formidable prospect and he sliced through the entire Dudley defence before selling the full back a dummy and crossing for a spectacular try.  Ian Archibald, who had earlier been narrowly off target with a penalty attempt, added the conversion.  Dudley responded by raising their game and their pack pounded the home line only to be rebuffed by some outstanding tackling. 

                7-0 to Beverley at the interval was just about a fair reflection of the first half.  In the second period it was a different story.  Dudley came back strongly and Beverley’s control and discipline started to flounder.  James McKay had already received a yellow card late in the first half and Worrall got one in the second.  Penalty after penalty went Dudley’s way as Beverley’s play became increasingly fraught through indiscipline and unforced basic errors.  Luckily for them although the Dudley line kicking was excellent their place kicking, even allowing for the swirling wind, was poor.  Two simple penalty chances in front of goal that might have won them the game went begging. 

                Even so the visitors were getting so much second half possession they had every chance to turn the match on its head but they could find no way through the superb Beverley defence.  Full back Andy McLellan eventually did get them on the scoresheet with a penalty but that was as far they got.  Deep into added time a thrilling fifty metre run by Jerry Barnes nearly brought a second Beverley try but by then the victory had been secured and Beverley now move up into the National leagues for the first time in their history – a quite remarkable achievement for a small town club with strictly limited resources