Back to earth with a bump as Bees well beaten away at Caldy

After last week’s heroics at table-topping Macclesfield, both Eugene Martin’s side and the Bees fans might have been forgiven for travelling not just in hope, but also with a degree of expectation, as they made their way up once again towards the northwest.

The Bees started brightly enough on a good pitch and in perfect weather conditions for rugby. Ian Briggs slotted over a 40-metre penalty to open the scoring for the visitors with just six minutes on the clock. That was to be their only score of the afternoon, as an impressive Caldy side proceeded to outplay the Bees in every department, scoring six tries in the process.

The home side’s first try came after 11 minutes with full back JJ Dickinson finishing off a move in the left hand corner. Although missing the conversion, former Moseley fly half Richard Vasey made amends 8 minutes later with a penalty in front of the posts to give Caldy a 8-3 lead.

This sparked the Bees into life, but the visitors failed to take advantage of pressure on the Caldy 5 metre line, a drop goal attempt by Petty going wide. A good break by Jimmy Oliver also came to nothing, as the handling in the Bees back line looked both tentative and lacking in precision.

The contrast with the assured and dangerous looking Caldy three quarters was underlined by JJ Dickinson’s second try on the 37 minute mark and an excellent wingers try by Ben Eaves on the stroke of half time. With both conversions going astray, the Bees went in at half time 18-3 down.

The start of the second half looked more promising for the Bees, as they immediately found themselves with an attacking scrum on the Caldy 5-metre line. But as the ball was spun out by Petty, Caldy winger Andrew Soutar read the move well and intercepted the pass and ran the full length of the pitch to touch down in the corner, despite the last ditch defensive efforts of Joseph Mogaji.

With the conversion of the bonus point try well taken by Vasey, at 25-3 the game was effectively finished as a contest. However to their credit, the Bees continue to apply the pressure, with a series of scrums on the Caldy line 10 minutes into the half. After the third successive penalty, Caldy prop and skipper Derek Salisbury was sent to the sin bin by referee Rawson and a penalty try looked to be on the cards. However, the Caldy pack took the next scrum against the head to clear the pressure.

In the gathering gloom, with the Bees pack unable to gain superiority up front despite their numerical advantage, the experienced Caldy backs played with real enterprise and verve.

Winger Andrew Soutar collected his second try of the afternoon after a lovely chip through from Vasey after 16 minutes, with centre Gavin Roberts also getting into the act on the 22 minute mark with a lovely individual try. With both conversions successfully slotted, the home side were good value for their 39-3 lead.

Fortunately for the Bees that was the end of the Caldy try fest and, with both sides’ defensive qualities very much to the fore in the final quarter, the score remained at 39-3 at the final whistle.

This was an emphatic and disappointing defeat for the Bees, but they can take some crumb of comfort from the fact they came up against a galvanized side that, according to the Caldy faithful, had saved their best performance of the season so far for this game Their forwards refused to let the Bees pack dominate and they used their strong backline to great effect, with all six tries scored by their three quarters.

Perhaps last week’s shenanigans at Macclesfield had taken its toll on the physical and mental reserves of the Bees side too.

Despite this set back, the Bees remain in 7th place in the SSE National League 2 North and next week the team can put away their I-Spy books and Top Trump cards as they entertain Preston Grasshoppers at home at Portway next Saturday, 30th November KO 2pm.

Teams:-

Caldy – Dickinson (T2), Soutar (T2), Roberts (T), Kohler, Eaves(T), Vasey (C3, P), Broxson, Smithson, Davidson, Mackin, Sanders, Gerrard, Salisbury, Jones, Lowes. Replacements Dowridge, Grant-Butler, Cross, Ross and Smith.

Birmningham & Solihull – Heath, Mogaji, Elvers, Oliver, Briggs (P), Petty, Fensome, Stoddard, Linnett, Stephens, Goddard, Spink, Bingham, Radburn, Long. Replacements Koziot, Morley, Leach, Forder and Lee.

Referee – Andrew Rawson