Beverley battle but gap proves too much

Bottom of the table Beverley went down to another heavy defeat but contributed to a fast and open game against a Sale side who went top of the table following their 84-15 win.

Sale went into an early 17-3 lead with tries from flanker Adam Aigbokae, lock Tom Bell, wing Jack Moorhouse and a conversion by fly-half Liam McGovern against a penalty by Phil Duboulay.

Lock Stuart Nel narrowed the gap for Beverley with a converted try but further converted tries by full-back Matthew Simpson, Aigbokae, and Bell gave Sale a 38-10 interval lead.

Flanker Jack Bunn touched down for Beverley early in the second half before Sale cruised home with further tries by wing Claran Connolly (2), Moorhouse (4), substitute Shaun Strudwick and Aigbokae and conversions from McGovern and substitute Greg Jacob (2).

Hullensians and Old Brodleians, who were lying 12th and 13th in Yorkshire Division One, fought out a 20-20 draw in their rearranged match at Halifax, where Brodleians scored three tries to the visitors’ two.

The result moved Hullensians up one position, level with Pontefract on league points but ahead on scoring.

Bradford Salem moved back to the top of Yorkshire Two with a 35-10 victory over Old Rishworthians at Halifax. Full-back Dan Belcher scored one of Salem’s five tries, one of them a penalty try, as well as converting all five.

Joe Billing kicked a penalty and converted a try by flanker Damian Ball for Rishworthians, who were trailing 14-10 at half-time.

Keighley ran out 24-10 winners over Knottingley. They secured a bonus point, too, with their four tries coming from wing forward Elliot Barker, prop Craig Spencer, second row Matt Hagyard and second row David Iliss.

Ripon scraped a narrow 8-5 win over hosts Leeds Medics.