Beverley
lose vital encounter
Beverley
RUFC faced a resurgent Rugby Lions side at Beaver Park on Saturday in this
National League 3 encounter and, in truth, were always
looking second best. Rugby declared their intentions from the kick-off when,
after kicking off straight into touch, they wheeled the resultant scrum and
then laid siege to the Beaver’s line for the next ten minutes.
Try
saving tackles from Guy Hope and Anthony Spence, backed up by superb defence
from the forwards, repelling repeated forward drives from the Lions, kept the
visitors at bay for a while and Beverley, superbly lead by David Worrall,
started to threaten until losing lock Gavin Gibson after 12 minutes with a back
injury.
This
left Beverley without a back-up line out jumper and thereafter their line out
understandably struggled.
Beverley
manfully stuck to their task, however but after 25 minutes, Anthony Posa failed to find touch from a penalty on the Beverley 22
and Rugby capitalised, moving the ball sharply amongst the backs for left
winger Hales to find a huge gap in the Beaver’s line to open the scoring. Full
back James Hawken added the conversion to give Rugby
a deserved 7 – 0 lead.
Play
continued with Rugby dominating the set pieces but Beverley were
playing with plenty of spirit although always looking under pressure. This told
in the 35th minute when Ade Hales, the known danger man, went in for
his second try, again well converted by Hawken to
stretch the lead to 14-0. At this point Beverley lost Richie Henderson to a
shoulder injury and he was replaced by Shaun Cross
Half
time arrived with Beverley, although playing second fiddle for most of the
game, still in touch.
The
second half started with a splendid kick-off from Anthony Posa
finding touch deep in Rugby’s
territory and setting the Beaver’s up in a good attacking
position in their favourite corner.
Rugby
infringed at the line-out, Dave Worrall took a quick tap penalty and put Jade
Gardiner in for a try which, with a difficult wind, Ian Archibald was unable to
convert.
After
14 minutes of the second half a splendid break by James Armitage
set up Jade Gardiner who was illegally stopped just short and Ian Archibald
successfully converted the resultant penalty to keep the Beavers in touch at 8
– 14.
Rugby,
however, hit back after 20 minutes with a try by man of the match Nash, again
converted by Hawken to make it 8 – 21 and a mountain
to climb for Beverley.
Undaunted,
they fought back and a break by Anthony Posa put in
Jade Gardiner for his second try, which Ian Archibald converted to bring the
score to 15 – 21.
The
game was played out then with Rugby hanging on and taking as
much time doing so as possible, but, in truth Beverley were beaten by a
better side on the day and can have no complaints.
They
made too many basic errors and need to sharpen up their handling which at times
today, especially in the backs, was appalling. They employ the tactic of using
the missed pass far too often. The opposition invariably read this and the recepient usually has a tackler waiting for him as he
eventually receives it
Notwithstanding
that, they, once again competed well against what is one of the better teams
they have played this term. If they can cut down the basic errors in execution
and rediscover the fluency of last weekend, they should survive at this level.
