In common with the mid-November fixture at Billing Road, Bees had the best of the early exchanges. After constant Bees pressure, ONs' openside Aaron Cort was sin binned in the 8th minute. Bees immediately kicked to touch. From the line-out, the away side were unable to stop lock Chris Goddard from being driven over for the opening points of the game. Fly half Mitch McGahan narrowly missed with his conversion attempt, but the home side now enjoyed a 5-point lead.

ONs' restart failed to travel 10 metres, and life was not looking good for the men from Northamptonshire. However, they managed to re-group and started to dictate play. Prompted by their excellent scrum half Lewis Barker, they moved the ball wide at every opportunity and, with the elements in their favour, kicked cleverly to touch on a number of occasions.

Just before the end of the opening quarter, full back Rory Seymour pulled a penalty attempt wide of the posts. Moments later ONs were again awarded a penalty, which on this occasion was kicked to touch. From the resulting play Bees’ openside Darren Forder was sin binned. Seymour was successful with his penalty attempt, cutting the Bees’ lead to 5-3.

For the remainder of the half it was ONs who had the majority of possession, and their pack was proving to be a handful for Bees. Just before half-time, No. 8 Michael Stephens was adjudged to have offended and became his side’s second player to be sent to the sin bin.

Seymour made no mistake with the penalty to give ONs a deserved one point lead. Inexplicably, nearly 7 minutes of injury time ensued, but there were no additions to the score-line, so at half-time ONs enjoyed a 6-5 lead.

Bees made two changes at the break. Jack Jolly, making a welcome return from injury, replaced scrum half Martin Hooker, with the ever-youthful Pete Koziot taking over at tight head from our very own “Strongman” Kurtis Payne.

ONs' kicked off the second-half, but it was Bees who came out the blocks like a scalded cat.
After 45 minutes, Forder was driven over the line from a now trademark Bees driving maul. The conversion was missed, but the home side now had a 10-6 lead, and life was about to get even better for Bees’ supporters.

Five minutes later, scrum half Jolly had the ball slapped out of his hands and McGahan neatly slotted home the resultant penalty to extend the lead of the men from Portway to 7 points.

Just before the end of the third quarter Bees were awarded a line-out some 40 metres out. They secured the ball and then started a driving maul which hurtled towards the ONs line. There was nothing that ONs could do to stop the men in black, and it was Forder who again emerged with the ball for his second try of the game. The conversion was missed, but conditions were tricky for kicking. Bees now led 18-6.

Early in the final quarter Bees scored a bonus point try from yet another driving maul from a line-out - loose head Dan Toth was the happy Bee on this occasion. Jolly attempted the conversion and he too was unsuccessful, but the home side now enjoyed a healthy 23-6 lead.

With the home side now in total control of the game, ONs, on their limited possession, tried desperately to spread play as quickly as possible. When one of their players fumbled the ball after 65 minutes, speedy winger Nyle Beckett skillfully controlled it with his foot before going over for Bees fifth try of the game. McGahan converted to give the Portway men a 30-6 lead.

With just over 10 minutes remaining Mitch Lee, another player that the Bees were welcoming back from injury, replaced battle weary lock Matt Spink. Spink had taken a nasty knock at the start of the second-half and it was a testament to his courage and resolve that he was able to continue in the game.

Shortly afterwards, outside centre Jimmy Oliver turned his ankle, so winger Chris Fensome moved inside and Hooker returned to the pitch on the right wing. Bees’ final substitution was made with 5 minutes or so remaining, Payne replacing Toth.

A scuffle shortly before the end saw both sides lose players to the sin bin, fly half McGahan for Bees and scrum half Barker for ONs. During injury time, ONs had their No.20 sin binned for a deliberate knock-on. Bees tried to kick the penalty to touch, but in an attempt to keep the ball in play an ONs' player knocked the ball directly to Hooker, setting him up for Bees sixth and final try of the day. The conversion was missed, but the game ended with Bees emphatic 35-6 winners.

Interim Coaches Willy & Spanner will be delighted with Bees’ second-half showing and the fact that the team have now won five of their six matches under their tenure. Not doubt they will be working hard in training during the week to prepare the side for the stern test it faces in its next game at Peterborough Lions on Saturday 5 March, 2.15pm kick off.

Team

Birmingham & Solihull:- Alex O’Malley, Chris Fensome, Arron Wilson, Jimmy Oliver, Nyle Beckett (T), Mitchell McGahan (P,C, YC), Martin Hooker (T), Michael Stephens (YC), Ashley Scriven, Darren Forder (2T, YC), Matt Spink, Chris Goddard© (T), Kurtis Payne, Zane Raimondi Dan Toth(T). Replacements – Pete Koziot, Mitch Lee and Jack Jolly.