Beverley 14 Middlesbrough 13: Early whistle suits Beverley

But the match ended controversially, with the referee having blown for full time six minutes before the end.

Beverley had the better of the early play but were never able to reproduce the quality of rugby that had brought them only one defeat in their previous seven matches.

Against the run of play, fly-half Simon O'Farrell put Middlesborough ahead with a penalty for not releasing the man.

Beverley continued to dominate and deservedly turned it round with a try between the posts from lock Craig Hancock which scrum-half Jamie Gill converted to put them 7-3 ahead.

The lead was short-lived as careless Beverley handling midway inside their opponents' half allowed Middlesborough to kick up to the Beverley line with winger Callum Campbell winning the race to touch down. O'Farrell added the conversion and then kicked a second penalty to give Middlesborough a 13-7 half-time lead.

In the second half, Beverley were increasingly under pressure but a fine solo try by centre Richard Bussey midway through the half, which Gill converted, put them 14-13 ahead, a lead which they never surrendered.

Middlesborough came back strongly in the later stages with their pack increasingly dominating the forward exchanges but Beverley held out partly thanks to the referee inadvertently blowing for full time early, leaving the Boro with only a bonus point.