Beverley 34-12 Hullensians

Big day at Beaver Park, Beverley’s 1st and 2nd teams running out in a local derby against Hullensians, who last time, at their place, inflicted the Beavers heaviest defeat of the season, so the record needed to be set straight. In a tense but entertaining game (if not the most skill full display by either team) the home team played the better rugby and ran out deserved winners 36-12. This game was one of two charity supporting games that Beverley RUFC do every season, this week the charity was Hull4Heroes who do invaluable work for our veterans, and c£1400 was raised on a busy afternoon, thank you to all who gave generously.

Beverley started well and had lots of ball and pressure, after a sustained 10 minutes of such pressure the Hullensians defence offered a gap to Dan Lee who gratefully darted through to score the first try of the game, unconverted by Smith. There were some good attacking moves from the Beavers throughout the game but more often than not the scramble defence of the visitors was able to recover which was testimony to their never say die attitude. Beverley against lesser opposition would have scored more points. It was a very heavy ground and slowed the game down for both teams and it wasn’t until the 28th minute the next try came from sustained pressure, this time Lewis Szrama (who put in a man of the match performance) capitalising, converted by Smith, 12-0. The visitors were not without their own attacking threat and an excellent break looked try-bound if it hadn’t been met by an excellent recovery chasing tackle by scrum half Dan Lee.

Just before half time, with the visitors getting some good field position of their own, there came a hammer blow as possession was turned over and Luke Hazell made a 40m break, offloaded to Alex Calvert who had support from Jake Boardman to finish under the posts in what was the best try of the game, 19-0 at half time. Beverley we’re under no doubt that the visitors had enough about them to not let this result run away from them and needed to keep the pressure on. Both teams were reduced to 14 after ‘handbags were thrown’ in an incident that will have further video analysis. Shortly after, quick thinking from captain Rob Smith saw him tapping quickly from a penalty on the 22-metre line to the try line almost unopposed, converted by Smith himself and the result looked secure, 26-0.

As expected the visitors’ never say die attitude and an easing off from Beverley saw the Ensians score the next two tries one of which was converted on 55 and 60 minutes to make the scoreline 26-12. Had Beverley eased off too much, with 20 minutes to play and the wind in their sails, maybe a comeback was on? Five minutes later captain Smith steadied any nerves with a penalty conversion. Both teams slugged out the last ten minutes in the mud, but it was Rob Smith who had the final say with a 75m dash to the posts after a well-read intercept, unconverted, game over, 34-12.

Although still not firing on all cylinders, Beverley is making a habit of winning, having won the last five in a row and this result lifted them to 3rd in the league. Injuries to Jack Housman and Aidan Calvert may well prove telling as we travel to 2nd in the league Keighley next week. Why not come along and support the Beavers on the Acklam’s coach from Beaver Park on the 21st of January.

Zoe Westlake