Bradford & Bingley 27, Beverley 25

Bradford & Bingley gave Colin Stephens a win in his first game in charge yesterday but this was far from a comfortable SSE National League Three North victory as Beverley’s backs continually found gaps to exploit a shaky-looking home defence.

It was a game won by the home forwards, who completely dominated the set-piece and could possibly have had more than the single penalty try they did earn on the hour mark as they shunted the Beverley pack backwards, upwards and sideways at each scrum.

The Bees dominance was only amplified by the introduction of Eddie Peglau for the final ten minutes of the game, and the dominant platform set up by Peglau, Ryan Wederall and Jason Moss must be a weapon that Stephens can use in the final eight games of the season.

The home back line was shuffled before kick-off with Steve Brimacombe unavailable and Richard Tafa suspended.

It appeared that this left a wide open channel next to Phil Greaves as Beverley’s Croatian international Gordon Jelencic scampered through on six minutes to put the men from Beaver Park ahead.

Phil Duboulay improved the score and the visitors looked comfortable whenever they could get the ball in hand and out into midfield.

After that initial period, the Bees then started to put together a few moves of their own and were soon on the scoreboard themselves as Giles Hetherington was last man on the end of a move to the left of the posts to dot down on 12 minutes.

The Bees pack were beginning to wear down the visitors, and when Stewart Brewer burrowed over the line with the visitors in disarray at a scrum it was clear where the home advantage would come.

Duboulay had added a penalty before Brewer’s score so it was 10-10 as the game approached the break.

Beverley’s backline still looked very comfortable each time they got the ball in space, but they possibly were feeling rather too at home as 40 minutes ticked past as Hetherington snapped a lazy- looking pass from out of the air and set off on a 70- metre gallop to the line.

With Gavin Stead slotting the extras, the Bees should have gone in for the interval 17-10 in front. However, this wouldn't be the Bees without them immediately conceding an interception of their own as Duboulay ran clear.

A penalty from the same player on 48 minutes put Beverley in front but with the visiting pack buckling under the strain of defending their own line, a penalty try put the Bees back in front.

The visiting pack then got a score of their own as Michael Bradshaw dotted down on 65 minutes.

The longer the Bees pressed with the pack it seemed inevitable that the winning score would come.

As the Beverley pack infringed yet again, Stead stepped up to slot the winning score.