Bees tame Lions with another impressive display

The Bees showed that they are increasingly a force to be reckoned with in the League, coming away with an impressive 7-19 away victory at Peterborough Lions.

The win – against once of the most physical sides in the division and sitting in fifth spot – is the latest scalp for a Bees side who have won six of their last seven games, rejuvenating their season in the process.

The visitors were first on the scoreboard, with Matt Spink profiting from the now trademark catch and drive from a line-out 15 metres out. Fly half Mitch McGahan added the extras and, despite an entertaining forward battle for the rest of the half where the Bees had the lions-share of possession, the score remained at 0-7.

The hosts made some changes up front at half time and this, coupled with a yellow card for Bees’s prop Kurtis Payne, seemingly shifted the momentum back in the Cambridgeshire side’s favour. On the hour mark and after a rigorous examination of the Bees’ defensive qualities, the Lions were eventually rewarded for their industry by a penalty try.

Outside half Will Carrington’s conversion evened the scores at 7-7 and the Bretton Woods faithful sensed a golden opportunity.

However it was the gilt-edged boot of McGahan that was to turn the game decisively back to the Bees’ advantage. His cameo chip-and-run try, which the Kiwi also converted, gave the men in yellow a 7-14 advantage with just eight minutes left on the clock.

With Lions’ lock forward Marius Andrijauskas red-carded for eye gouging, the points were now well and truly in the bag for the Bees.

They then added insult to Peterborough’s injury, with a Jack Jolly try from close range in the last play of the game to deny the home side a losing bonus point.

For a side that had won just four out of their first 15 games of the season, the transformation in the Bees squad in the last eight weeks has been little short of remarkable.

They now have a free weekend before entertaining Sandbach at Portway on Saturday 19th March, KO 3pm. A win against their Cheshire visitors, with other results going their way, could lift Birmingham & Solihull into fifth position in National League 3 Midlands.

Team

Birmingham & Solihull:- Alex O’Malley, Chris Fensome, Brian Sibiya, Mikey Whettell, Nyle Beckett, Mitchell McGahan (T, 2C), Martin Hooker ,Matt Tibbatts, Ashley Scriven, Darren Forder, Matt Spink (T), Chris Goddard ©, Kurtis Payne, Zane Raimondi and Dan Toth. Replacements – Pete Koziot, Michael Stephens and Jack Jolly (T).