Eugene Martin’s side could have perhaps been forgiven for being a little “ring rusty”, playing their first game in four weeks thanks to their last three games - home and away - postponed due to unplayable pitches.

The men from Humberside - with plenty of beef in the forwards - certainly looked sharper than their hosts in the early exchanges and they took the lead after 3 minutes through a James Cameron penalty. The Bees were first to cross the whitewash through and went ahead thanks to a well -executed try by Jack Linnett.

Petty – playing at 9 - used the wind to chip over the Hull defence, where the ball was collected by Chris Fensome, playing on the left wing. Fensome was tackled, but the ball was quickly recycled and, in a move straight from the training paddock, the promising young flanker took the ball at pace to crash over the line. Canning added the conversion to make it 7-3 to the Bees.

Bees’ full back Oscar Heath was unlucky not to get on the score sheet just 3 minutes later, after a typically deft chip and chase through. However a yellow card for Bee’s flanker Michael Stephens on the 13-minute mark gave the visitors an attacking penalty close to the home side’s line. The Hull No.8 Ollie Cook made a strong run to the line to retake the lead, although Cameron was unable to add the extras.

Now trailing despite having a strong wind behind their backs, this proved to be the wake up call for the Portway side, who began to take the game to Hull in earnest, with lock forward Matt Spink and stand-in No.8 Steve Leach particularly to the fore. Hull were unable to make anymore headway with their extra man advantage and with Stephens restored, the bearded blind side flanker came close himself to scoring from a charge down close to Hull’s line, after 26 minutes.

Bees had the lion’s share of possession and territory for the rest of the half, but good defensive work from the visitors kept the score at 7-8 in what was a rather turgid first 40, where the home side rarely got out of third gear.

Spurred on by some half time refreshments and prospect of playing with the wind, Hull had an ideal start to the second half with a try after 5 minutes from hooker Tom Mumford, converted by Cameron. The home crowd were becoming anxious and the possibility of a form book defying defeat seemed on the cards, especially as the Bees propensity to kick seemed to be squandering some good possession.

The yellow carding of Hull’s No.8 Ollie Cook 12 minutes in for playing the ball on the ground in a ruck was to prove decisive. A penalty kick to touch, an excellent catch and drive from the resultant line out was justly rewarded by a try for the ever-reliable Chris Goddard. Canning kept his 100% kicking record intact and the Bees were back in the game at 14-15.

A second converted try whilst Hull were down to 14 men – this time from Oscar Heath after an excellent chip through by the impressive Jimmy Oliver - further restored home confidence both on and off the pitch. A fourth the and final try after 26 minutes, deservedly scored by Leach, again converted by the metronomic Canning, gave the Bees the try bonus point and an unassailable lead.

Hull would have doubtless gone back up the M62 frustrated by not getting something out of the game – their industry and application certainly merited it. Next week they prepare for an important clash against fellow relegation contenders Sheffield Tigers, whilst the Bees travel to the short distance to bottom of the table Dudley Kingswinford.

Teams:-

Birmingham & Solihull – Heath (T), Evans, Oliver, Johns, Fensome, Canning (4C), Petty, Leach (T), Linnett (T), Stephens, Goddard (T), Spink, Bingham, Radburn ©, Koziot. Replacements Boyce, Long, Connolly, Scriven and Jolly.

Hull – Kirk, Thoy, Barnard, Cameron, Lespierre, Lound, Haddow, Cook, Argyle, Devonshire, Alderson, Murphy, Dias, Mumford and Phillips. Replacements Wood, Bright, Socino, Stafford and Lloyd.

Referee – Mike Hudson