HARROGATE  41  BEVERLEY  6

                This was a rude awakening of what lies ahead for Beverley as they embarked on their first ever season in National League Three.  41-6 was not perhaps altogether a true reflection of the difference between the two sides but Harrogate simply took their chances to race to a decisive 36-6 lead before halftime, with most of the points having come from Beverley mistakes. 

                Beverley started well, playing with an impressive fluency and ambition and looking, if anything, the better side in the early stages.  Full back Phil Duboulay kicked a superb penalty into the wind from near halfway to give them the lead after two minutes.  Centre Nick Wainwright levelled the scores with one for Harrogate but Duboulay almost straight from the restart added another for Beverley to put them back in front. 

                Then it all started to go wrong for Beverley.  In the space of twenty minutes they gave away five tries, four of which came directly from their own basic errors.  Twice they lost possession leading to tries for Wainwright and full back Ed Smithers; then an ill directed high kick upfield was fielded by Smithers who made a mark and sent Wainwright racing away on a seventy metre run to add another; and when a Beverley clearance kick was charged down fly half Oli Lancaster won the race for the touchdown for a fourth.  From a Harrogate scrum on the Beverley twenty two winger Harry Duthie went over in the corner for a fifth.  With Wainwright adding four conversions it was all as good as over. by halftime with thirty points separating the sides

                Five minutes into the second half Beverley’s woe was complete when from a promising attacking position they passed the ball directly to Harrogate scrum half Charlie Du Pre who sprinted from his own twenty two to score a spectacular final try.  Thereafter the game fizzled out as a contest but Beverley showed plenty of spirit and had most of the play in the second half without ever really looking like scoring a try. 

                Despite the margin of defeat there was plenty for Beverley to take encouragement from.  Their pack played well and Gavin Gibson, Simon Puckering and James Craig performed splendidly in the lineouts.  The front five were solid with prop James Armitage especially having a good game on his return to the club.  Danny Cattle at scrum half and Duboulay also made promising debuts.  Nor could the Beverley defensive work generally be faulted.  It was in midfield where their problems lay.  While the lively Harrogate backs moved the ball and took it at speed the Beverley backplay always looked ponderous and lacking in pace and incisiveness.  With no apparent variation to their relentless crash-ball routine Beverley will surely need to rethink their tactics if they are to survive at this level.  However, this was only Beverley’s first taste of National League rugby and a tough opening fixture.  If they can sort out their problems behind the scrum and also adapt to the speed in thought and execution necessary at this level there is no reason why they should not hold their own this season.  But the salutary lesson remains that if you keep giving away possession at this level you are going to get severely punished for it.