Five times we crossed the home line without scoring. Three of the attempts were held up, while on the other two occasions the West scrum forced their opponents back only for desperate defender’s to get to the touchdown first and win a 22 drop out.
We started strongly into the wind and up the Beverley slope but spurned several chances to score. Gav Painter coming the closest with penalty which was held up in the breeze.
However, the home side didn’t fail with their first chance of the game in their first attack after ten minutes. They were awarded a penalty 25 metres out, which was made easier when we upset referee Peter Stentiford, and he penalised us another ten metres gifting home fly half Phil Duboulay an easy three points.
We continued to have most of the ball but failed to capitalise and went down to 14 men when Jack Angus was sinbinned for deliberate offside.
That failed to stem the dominance of the West pack and we pushed ourr opponents off their own ball winning a penalty just inside the home 22 allowing Gavin Painter to level the scores.
By then we had our first injury victim of the season.Touch judge Dave Mould receiving a nasty bang as Zac Southern was tackled into touch as he chased his own kick up the wing. Mouldy had his legs taken from him and was shunted into the advertising boards. He couldn't continue with Graeme Southern taking over.
Beverley restored their lead with a Doublay penalty from wide on the left before we finally got into their stride. Second row Chris Atkins showing a winger’s pace to run in from 45 metres.
Scott Butcher had won the ball on his own 22 metres to start the move which saw Sam Miller send Atkins racing away.
Painter was narrowly wide with his conversion, but he was back on the scoresheet just before half time when Liam Bailey seized on a loose ball to gallop in under the posts to make it 15-6 at the break (above).
The half time team talk from the coaches was all about missed chances and we reacted by camping out in the home 22 for the first 15 minutes of the second half.
Beverley went down to 13 men as Kris Renwick was first yellow carded for a swinging arm tackle on Joe Rafferty – forcing the West player to leave the field with a bashed up nose - and he was quickly followed by Doublay.
We literally battered the home line but those held up tackles and 22 drop outs thwarted them until Liam Bailey got his second try of the afternoon - just when Beverley thought they had relieved the pressure.
The West flanker gratefully accepted a long line-out from the home side and he weaved his way past three tacklers to go in at the right hand corner.
Gavin Painter was narrowly wide with his conversion, but he wasn’t to fail three minutes later when he converted his own first try of the season. The fly half reached out to touch down as he was tackled after sliding through the home defence (pictured).
With the bonus point secured we continued to press and the fifth and final try had an air of inevitability about it.
This time it was Scott Butcher racing up the left wing to narrowly beat the cover to score in the corner. Painter finished off an excellent return to league rugby after a long injruty lay off with a conversion from the touchline.
Beverley: Jamie Gill, Phil Wood, Alex Smith, Sam Row, Luke Hazell, Phil Doublay, Ian Archibald, Kris Renwick, Andrew Meagher, Shaun Jenney, Dave Brant, Phil Cromie, Sale Hodgson, Lewis Starbuck, Jack Bunn. Reps (all used) Tony Riby, Harrison Mayou, Raynaud de Kocke.
Pens: Duboulay (2)
Yellow Cards: Renwick, Duboulay.
West: Zac Southern, Scott Butcher, Eldon Myers, Peter Youll, Luke Mallinson, Gavin Painter, Ryan Painter, Ross Wood, Andrew Rollins, Adam Coates, Owen Bennett, Chris Atkins, Liam Bailey, Dan Boatman (captain), Sam Miller.
Reps (all used): Greg Edwards, Joe Rafferty, Jack Angus.
Tries: Bailey 2, Atkins, G Painter, Butcher.
Cons: G Painter (3)
Pen: G Painter (1)
Yellow Cards: Angus.
Referee: Peter Stentiford , Yorkshire Society