Strong second half performance earns Bees first win of the season

Tries by Chris Fensome and Matt Spink in the last quarter of the game earned Bees a 22-10 victory against newly promoted Bedford Athletic writes Steve Johns.

The Bees were eager to build on their 16-16 draw at Syston the week before and provided an all-round performance that was too strong for their visitors. Bedford Athletic, having lost to fellow National League 3 newcomers Towcestrians on the opening day of the season, were still very much in the tie until midway through the second half, when Bees pulled away with an assured performance in the last quarter.

Both sides’ willingness to offload the ball in contact and play at a high tempo did not suit the conditions at Portway, where light drizzle contributed to both teams making several unforced errors with ball in hand.

Bees’ fly half Mitch McGahan opened the scoring with a penalty after a period of sustained pressure. Last season Bedford picked up 17 four-try bonus points, and they certainly showed the ambition of a side capable of this. On two occasions midway through the first half they made huge inroads into the Bees defence and showed why they were featured as Rugby World magazine’s ‘team of the month’ for February.

From a right hand scrum, a crisp set play sent Bedford right winger Stephen Woodhead scything though the Bees midfield and under the posts. The conversion from James Mortimer was soon followed by a sweetly struck drop goal, which took the score to 3-10 in Bedford’s favour.

Spurred on by their home support, Bees established field position in the opposition 22 after committed tackling from Mikey Whettell led to notable carries from the imposing figures of Danny Wright and Matt Tibbatts. From a scrum 5 metres out, a powerful 8-man shove was deemed to be too strong for Bedford to legally halt, prompting referee James Bullock to run under the posts to award a penalty try. McGahan added the simple conversion, meaning both sides went in for half time with the score at 10-10.

Early in the second half Bees made an enforced change with the injured Mitch McGahan being replaced by debutant fly half Max Rodman. The youngster made immediate an impact with his willingness to run the ball, setting a platform for the Bees pack to run on to. Not perturbed by his penalty attempt from distance hitting the post, Rodman produced an excellent outside break and duly drew the Bedford fullback to put Chris Fensome in for a try in the right hand corner, which Rodman impressively converted.

A clash of heads resulted in Bees’ winger Tawanda Chipadza being replaced by the reintroduced Matt Tibbatts, who played at centre for the remainder of the game.

With the score now 17-10 in Bees’ favour, Bedford managed to turn over a lot of ball, with prominent defensive work by openside flanker Jake Foster and centre JJ Raven. This resulted in opportunities for Bedford fly half James Mortimer and full back Charlie Darlow to run the ball back at a disorganised Bees defence with courageous counter-attacking flair.

However, Bees regrouped and produced the try of the match that went through seven pairs of hands and travelled over half the length of the pitch. A clearance kick from Bedford was fielded by Bees’ Chris Fensome, and was transferred via captain Chris Goddard to Dan Barratt, this week at inside centre, on the right hand side of the pitch on the halfway line. The strong-running Barratt set a platform from which industrious scrum half Charlie Mumford fed Ashley Scriven and then Matt Spink, who gallantly dived over from close range. The conversion was narrowly missed, but the home side were able to hold on to their 12 unanswered second half points.

The Bees produced a team performance that finished strongly and lasted well into the last 10 minutes of the match, demonstrating the fruits of a thorough pre-season training schedule. Head of Rugby Pete Glackin will no doubt be satisfied with the result and the squad should be in high spirits as they make their preparations to travel to another newly promoted side - Towcestrians - next Saturday, 17th September KO 3pm.

Birmingham & Solihull Bees:- (1) Dan Toth (2) Zane Raimondi (3) Joe Foreman (4) Matt Spink (T) (5) Chris Goddard © (6) Danny Wright (7) Ashley Scriven (8) Matt Tibbats (9) Charlie Mumford (10) Mitch McGahan (1P, 1C) (11) Dan Barrett (12) Dan Barrett (T) (13) Mikey Whettell (14) Tawanda Chipadza (T) (15) Chris Fensome (T). Repacements (16) Kurtis Payne (17) Tom Price (18) Max Rodman (1C).

Referee:- James Bullock