Burnage 24 Beverley 0: Domination counts for nothing as Beverley draw blank on road to come off second-best

Having to contend for the first time with an artificial playing surface probably contributed to Beverley’s difficulties, but their young side contained a smattering of debutants who performed creditably and were unlucky to have nothing to show for a spirited effort.

Burnage started strongly but Beverley gradually began to take control and looked the stronger side as half-time approached.

After 20 minutes Burnage went ahead against the run of play when a lofted kick into the Beverley half set up a try for centre Stu Oldham which fellow centre Adam Knight converted from in front of the posts.

Turning round 7-0 down, Beverley still looked the likely winners but they lost their way in the second half.

Second row Nick Scholes touched down for a second Burnage converted try after four minutes and when the substitute scrum-half added a third try 10 minutes later Beverley were left with an uphill struggle.

Oldham added a fourth try five minutes from time but the last quarter belonged to Beverley who fought strongly but unsuccessfully to get something out of the game.

Sandal 25 West Hartlepool 5

SANDAL kicked off the campaign with a resounding victory over visitors West Hartlepool.

Looking to better last season’s eighth-place finish, and with three of their first four games taking place at Milnthorpe Green, it was a solid opener from Jim Kilfoyle’s men, if a little rusty.

The first half saw Sandal click into gear, with the visitors rarely threatening, while Mark Pease, making his debut after signing from Morley in the summer, kicked two penalties from full-back to earn a 6-0 lead at half-time.

Pease, playing out of his customary centre role, clearly had a taste from that point on, adding three further goals to extend his side’s advantage which was only answered by a sloppy defensive try from the hosts’ perspective.

With 15 minutes remaining Sandal finally crossed for their first score, winger Jake Mulhern finding the space to make it 20-5. Then, with five minutes remaining, a pushover try touched down by prop James Purcell wrapped up the scoring.

Morley 0 Birkenhead 34

MORLEY started life in National 3 North in disappointing fashion, losing 34-0 at home to Birkenhead Park.

Following last season’s heartbreaking last-gasp relegation there have been numerous personnel changes at the club over the summer, and this performance was testament to that upheaval.

Morley had no fewer than five new faces, not counting those on the bench, and with three coming in the forwards it proved to be a rude awakening against the power of Birkenhead’s pack.

Not that the visitors relied solely upon brute force; they also included some well practised training ground moves which came off to leave Morley trailing 22-0 at the break. The hosts steadied the ship somewhat in the second half and the defence proved more solid, but the movement going forward was disjointed as would be expected from a squad in the process of regeneration.

Lymm 6 Bradford & Bingley 21

BRADFORD & Bingley began their bid to return to National Two North with an impressive display at Lymm.

While never getting too far ahead of their hosts to feel comfortable, the visitors returned from Cheshire as deserved victors.

Giles Hetherington got the scoreboard ticking over in only the fourth minute with the Bees’ first try, with Gavin Stead stepping up to convert.

The hosts came back to within a point thanks to two penalties from the boot of Joe Knowles, but that was as close as they were to get.

Full-back Benny Greaves went over in the 23rd minute and, once Stead had kicked his second conversion, the Bees were 14-6 ahead at the break.

It was not until the 67th minute, however, that the visitors made the points safe, Grant Litt going over with Stead again converting.