Drama right to the very end as Bees finally crowned Champions

The Bees were finally crowned champions of the Midlands Premier Division, after edging a thrilling contest 20-22 against Peterborough Lions at Solstice Park.

The game had all the ingredients of an epic encounter and – much to the credit of both sides – it didn’t disappoint, with a heady mix of high intensity rugby and high drama right up to the final kick of a nerve-shredding 80 minutes.

Coming into the game, the stakes were high for both sides. For the Lions, who were unbeaten in 2018, this was their opportunity to stay in the mix for automatic promotion spot. For the Bees, beaten just once in 22 outings, a win or a draw would be enough to clinch the title and banish any lingering doubts around an otherwise unimpeachable season.

The going was definitely on the soft side on a dry and pleasantly warm early spring afternoon in Cambridgeshire but, unlike some other pretenders in the division, this was of no concern to two proper rugby sides with an appreciation of the true spirit of the game of rugby football.

After sixteen intense and absorbing minutes, first blood of the afternoon was drawn by the Lions, courtesy of a well taken try from fly half Ben Youngs, on hand to take the pass after a break from skipper Chris Humphrey. ‘South paw’ kicker Nico Defeo added the easy extras to give the home side a 7-0 advantage.

Unaccustomed to be behind in any game this season, the Bees got themselves back on equal terms within six minutes thanks to a Matt Spink try, converted by his captain Jack Jolly. Putting down a physiological marker, the Bees had turned down an easy penalty in front of the posts, instead putting faith in forward power from the 5m scrum. It took several attempts for this strategy to bear fruit, but bear fruit it did – the burly lock forward dotting down after Umraan Jadwat had made the initial surge.

That was to be the full extent of points posted by either side in the first half, despite the Bees looking to capitalise on the momentum that their first score had given them. Even with tight head Chris Cutts shown yellow, Peterborough managed to ride out the storm until the half time whistle. However, the Bees were able to profit from their numerical advantage within three minutes of the restart, thanks to a try from blindside flanker Danny Wright.

The well-travelled Gloucestershire man, who has had a stand out season in his second spell with the Bees, neatly finished in the right-hand corner – much to the delight of the vociferous travelling support. The score was created by a well floated pass from Harry O’Brien, who enjoyed his opportunity in the No.10 shirt in the absence of the injured max Rodman. Although Jolly was unable to slot the conversion, the Bees had managed to eke out a 7-12 lead.

Peterborough aren’t second place in the league for nothing and the next 20 minutes was to prove a halcyon spell for the men in white and blue. A Defeo penalty reduced the deficit to just two points and, with Matt Spink given a 10-minute breather by referee Carl Adams, they were soon ahead thanks to an opportunistic try from effervescent open side flanker Tom Gullard, who found himself with plenty of space to show his turn of speed from an attacking line out.

Matters seemingly went from bad to worse for the visitors, with full back Semisi Sitanislei Tei – who had looked threatening all afternoon – able to finish off a nice move along the line. Defeo was again unable to make the conversion count – something that he would come to rue later.

Not many sides in the league would be able to come back from a 20-12 deficit against a powerful Peterborough outfit with just 20 minutes left on the clock. The last quarter of this absorbing contest, however, was to showcase just why the Bees were worthy champions elect, as they drew deep into their inner resources and fitness levels, something that no other team has been able to match all season.

Knowing a draw would be good enough, Jack Jolly wisely opted for and assuredly put over a mid-range penalty to bring his side within an unconverted try’s length of parity. With all the action now in the Lion’s 22, a trademark catch and drive from a 20m line out yielded a penalty try at the death for the near- jubilant Bees.

Yet there was still to be a final twist in this epic encounter. Although the Bees secured the ball from the restart, in an effort to run down the clock Zane Raimondi was adjudged to have infringed at the breakdown. Defeo had a kickable, but far from easy, penalty to yank the game out of the fire for the home side.

As the kick drifted agonisingly – at least for the home support – wide, the Bees could finally celebrate not only a hard-earned win, but also assume the Midlands Premier Division championship crown for the 2017/8 season.

For a club that hasn’t enjoyed promotion for nine years and suffered three relegations in the intervening period, this was indeed a moment of unbridled joy, enjoyed by players, coaching staff and supporters alike. Enormous credit must go to Peterborough for their part in a memorable game of rugby and, should they continue in their previous vein of form, the Lions will justifiably book their place in the promotion play offs come the end of the season.

For the Bees, once the moment is rightly and royally celebrated, they have three remaining league games to demonstrate the worthiness of their Champions’ status, starting next Saturday (14th April, Portway, KO 3pm) at home to Sandbach – the only side to have beaten them in the league to date.

Bees v Peterborough Lions: - 1. Joe Foreman, 2. Zane Raimondi, 3. Kurtis Payne, 4. Matt Spink (T), 5. Andy Weaver, 6. Danny Wright (T), 7. Ashley Scriven, 8. Umraan Jadwat, 9. Jack Jolly (2C,P) ©, 10. Harry O’Brien, 11. Steve Johns, 12. Nathan Tilsley, 13. Jimmy Oliver 14. Tawanda Chipadza, 15. Ben Phillips, 16. Harry Smith, 17. Marcus Brown, & 18. Tyler Price. Penalty Try(1).

Referee: - Carl Adams