Rugby: Tired Beaufort lose after cup heartbreak

May 1 2008 by Our Correspondent, Gwent Gazette

Beaufort RFC 16   Hartridge 22

THIS was a gallant effort from Beaufort who less than 24 hours earlier had played as losing finalists to Markham in the Cyrus Davies Cup.

They now face the daunting  prospect of playing the league leaders in their third match in five days.

Although they gave it their all in terms of effort and commitment, by the end of the challenge they were out on their feet.  

Hartridge took the initiative early on but it was 10 minutes before they got the break through, scoring a try on the overlap which was converted. Beaufort struck back with a  Matthew Jordan penalty  and held out until the half hour.  

Hartridge then drove from a well-worked lineout ploy and outmuscled Beaufort to score in the corner. The conversion was good to give them a lead of 14-3.

Beaufort struck back and had the better of the next segment.  

Mike White, having a fine match at scrum half, slipped the tackles from a tapped penalty to make the touchdown and, despite a tricky wind, Matthew Jordan converted.

With a wind advantage after the break Beaufort were looking confident, and when their man of the match Jordan  kicked an early penalty to bring the scores within a single point, the match was finely balanced.

But the visitors had too much fire power, particularly up front,  to allow the match to slip away.

Good possession allowed them to pull the Beaufort defence right then left, finding space for their wing to stride in from the 22.

Legs were now tiring  in the Beaufort camp and, although they defended with typical tenacious commitment,  there was nothing left in the pot.

Hartridge kicked a penalty in front of the posts and tried to finish the game with a flourish.

But it was Beaufort who got the final score when standoff Jordan kicked a superb penalty from half way to sneak a vital league point from the defeat.

In the circumstances Beaufort can feel pleased with their performance and worthy of special praise for Mike West who graduated from the youth ranks to play his debut game at hooker and also for Matthew Harding , another youth  graduate who came on as a  replacement prop.

Beauforts last match will be at Caerleon on Tuesday, April 29.