North Ribblesdale kept their title aspirations intact in Counties One Yorkshire with a hard-fought 45-17 victory away to a very capable Beverley side who had only lost once at home so far this season.

After the long journey Ribb were slow out of the blocks and for the first thirty minutes the home side were in the ascendency, scoring a converted try and a penalty to gain a 10-0 advantage through a converted try from winger Paul King and a penalty by Shaun Boot.

North Ribb gradually got into the game and in the last five minutes of the first half scored two converted tries, the first an excellent finish from the effervescent captain Oliver Drew after good work from Adam Middleton and young tyro Elliott Marklew.

The second came from intelligent play from scrum half Hennie Van Rensburg, putting Matt Speres to sear through a gap under the posts.

Both converted by player-coach Tom Davidson to give Ribb a slender 14-10 interval lead.

The second half was a different affair altogether with Ribb’s fitness and superior skills to the fore.

Firstly young winner Harris Dinsdale scorched into the corner before Marklew bludgeoned his way over from close range.

A second try from Drew in the corner was then converted by Davidson and the game was won.

Talisman Matt Speres sealed a great victory with another two tries for his hat-trick, Davidson adding the extras.

The hosts scored a late consolation converted try through impressive forward Matt Isaac but the day belonged to this strong North Ribblesdale team.

They now move onto another tricky away game this weekend against Hullensians, who sit fourth in the table and having lost only once since their humbling at Grove Park four months ago.

Several players were to the fore not least Middleton, the returning Sam Smith and Van Rensburg, but yet again this was a team performance that keeps this talented young side at the summit of the league.

This was Ribb’s 31st consecutive league victory spanning over the last two season,s a record not equalled by many in recent years.

It is a sign of the squad strength that several personnel were unavailable through injury but Ribb still managed a convincing win.