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Date : 31/03/2007 : Venue : SXR
Kick off = 15:00 pm
Pertemps Bees 57 Otley 23
Pertemps Bees 57 Otley 23
Pertemps Bees did their local rivals Moseley a favour by
crushing relegation-haunted Otley with a powerful finish to this free-flowing
contest.
Just two points divided the sides approaching the midway stage of the second
half but the Bees then turned on the style by running in five tries in 18 devastating
minutes which swept them to their biggest win of the season.
They also defended well enough to deny Otley the consolation of a try bonus
point which would have nudged them further ahead of Moseley in the grim battle
to stay in National One.
Makeshift winger Reece Spee was the hero of the Bees' victory as he ran in a
hat-trick of tries and he topped and tailed the scoring.
The former Ulster scrum-half has been pressed into service as a winger since
Brodie Henderson was forced to return home early to Canada and has settled into
his new role well.
Spee scored the first of the Bees' eight tries after just two minutes, rounded
off another superb attack featuring Jon Higgins and Matt Nuthall midway through
the second half and completed the rout when he strolled over on the overlap
five minutes from time.
Higgins, who has grown in confidence and stature in the past month, also had
an afternoon to remember. The fly-half successfully mastered a blustery wind
to land all but one of his kicks - seven conversions and a penalty - and he
also sparked the Bees in attack with some sublime handling.
Otley played their part in the entertainment and briefly led in the first half.
But they struggled to contain a dominant Bees pack and were cut to shreds in
defence in the final quarter.
Lock Alex Davidson crossed for a rare try in the first half and Neath-bound
full-back Nuthall rounded off a superb break from Matt Miles. But several other
scoring opportunities were squandered before the break and Otley sneaked in
front for a time when fly-half Alastair Monks kicked two penalties then converted
tries from centre Paul Mooney and winger Xavier Andre.
Higgins had to kick a penalty to ensure the Bees regained the lead just before
the break and it was nip-and-tuck for a while in the second half as both sides
promised much but failed to add further points in the third quarter.
It was the Bees who broke the stalemate when Leo Halavatau, on as a replacement
for Matt Larsen, battered a hole in the Otley defence, Higgins sustained the
attack and Kyle Palm cut through for the bonus point try.
Spee's second try settled the issue and Otley then focused on trying to salvage
a losing bonus point as Monks kicked a 61st minute penalty.
It would have been understandable if the Bees had switched off in the final
quarter, instead they raised their game with Matt Miles being driven over from
a line-out, Will Matthews romping over from a long-range interception and Spee
completing his hat-trick.
Higgins made light of difficult conditions for kickers by banging over all but
one of his conversions with deceptive ease.
MARTIN BACK FOR OTLEY (March 30 2007)
Pertemps Bees have recalled centre Simon Martin to their starting XV for the
National League One game against Otley at Sharmans Cross Road on Saturday March
31 (3pm).
The former Bristol and Coventry player has been a replacement for the last three
weeks but he returns to the starting team because Dave Knight and Tristan Davies
have both been ruled out with hamstring injuries. Knight sustained his in the
warm-up before last Saturday's EDF Energy National Trophy semi-final at Exeter,
former Wales Under-21 international Davies aggravated his injury in the first
half of that game.
Pertemps Bees have made two other changes to their starting line-up with former
Bath scrum-half Mike Baxter coming off the bench to replace Rod Petty and Dan
Tuohy making his first start in almost three months at blindside flanker in
place of Will Matthews.
Petty, an Australian sevens international, is the only back on the replacements'
bench and will cover most of the positions. Should Pertemps Bees need to replace
more than one back, flanker Akapusi Qera will switch from the openside flank.
Back coach Ben Harvey, who retired from senior rugby at the end of last season,
is the only other fit and registered back.
Pertemps Bees: 15 Matt Nuthall; 14 Reece Spee, 13 Adam Billig, 12 Simon Martin, 11 Kyle Palm; 10 Jon Higgins, 9 Mike Baxter; 1 Matt Long, 2 Matt Miles, 3 Tom Court, 4 Mark Gabey, 5 Alex Davidson, 6 Dan Tuohy, 7 Akapusi Qera, 8 Matt Larsen. Replacements: Emyr Lewis, Casey Dunning, Leo Halavatau, Will Matthews, Dean Miller, Tom Rawlins, Rod Petty.
| Team
15 Matt
Nuthall 1 Matt Long
|
Replacements
Emyr Lewis |
 |
Match PictureS