Match Preview

Match preview –Lichfield v Bees Saturday 16th January

Bees target Lichfield for the first “double” of the season

The Bees travel to Lichfield tomorrow (Saturday 16th January, KO 2.15pm) looking to record their first double of the season.

It was back in September against tomorrow’s hosts that they recorded their first league win of the season in Round 4 of their National League3 campaign, when they beat Lichfield 41-17 at Portway. Since then, wins have proved to have been somewhat elusive either home or away, which victories only coming against Longton, Sandbach and Sutton Coldfield in the intervening period.

Last week’s 3-18 home loss against unbeaten league leaders Hinckley, albeit with a very creditable performance, left the Bees occupying the third relegation spot and saw the club part company with Head of Rugby Ian Matthews.

The Bees will therefore be targeting tomorrow’s game as an opportunity to “reboot” their season, as they try and accumulate valuable points over the forthcoming weeks that would take them clear of the relegation zone.

Lichfield currently sit four places above the Bees in eighth spot in the league, with a total of 34 points – nine more than their visitors - with six league wins to their name so far. They won their opening three games of the season before the Bees ‘rained on their parade’ at Portway (21-0 at home against Sandbach, 20-24 away at Scunthorpe and 58-19 at home against Sutton Coldfield).

Two of their three wins since then have come at home - 27-18 against Syston in late October and 24-10 against Old Northamptonians in early December. They got 2016 off to a winning start last weekend with a 17-25 away win at Walmley against local rivals Sutton Coldfield.

There is just one change to the starting line-up that fronted up to Hinckley so well last week, with Jimmy Oliver returning to the inside centre and Arron Wilson dropping to the bench. Billy Castle also joins Kurtis Payne as a replacement.

The Birmingham & Solihull team selected v Lichfield Saturday 16th January 2.15pm KO:- Josh Palmer, Alex O’Malley, Kami Novoke, Jimmy Oliver, Nyle Beckett, Mitchell McGahan, Martin Hooker, Matt Tibbatts, Ashley Scriven, Darren Forder, Matt Spink, Chris Goddard ©, Pete Koziot, Zane Raimondi, Dan Toth. Replacements –Kurtis Payne, Arron Wilson and Billy Castle.