The home team were rewarded for their attacking intent and solid defense, building a 17-7 first half lead thanks to two well crafted tries by Solomon Dacres, both converted by Adam Canning, who also added a penalty for good measure. Caldy had got on the score sheet thanks to a Tom Banks, created by centre partner Gavin Roberts and converted by full back Andrew Soutar.

For most of the first half, the Bees were in control with forwards and backs combining to great effect against a Caldy side with a reputation for travel sickness. The men from the Wirral finally got into their stride in the last 10 minutes of the half, but the Bees defense - which had been solid save for the lapse that led to the Banks’ try - held out.

Caldy began the second half with more purpose, although the first period was played exclusively in the middle of the park, with neither side being able to make headway on an increasingly heavy pitch.

Referee Claire Hodnett was in no mood for handbags 11 minutes in, with yellow cards shown to Bees prop Pete Koziot and his Caldy opposite number, Derek Salisbury. The Bees won a penalty at the next scrum and the ever-reliable Canning stepped up to slot his second penalty of the game to stretch the lead to 20-7.

The game then became something of an arm wrestle and the visitors increasing dominance in the set piece was ultimately to be decisive. Both sides were restored to 15 aside, but on the 25 minutes mark, Caldy were rewarded a penalty try after a series of 5 metres scrums had led to another yellow card for Bees replacement prop Jonah Boyce. Soutar duly slotted the conversion and the Wirral-siders sensed that this was a game that could be yanked out of the fire.

This growing confidence was further rewarded by their third try of the afternoon by hooker Dowridge from a driving maul at the line out. With the conversion added by Soutar, Caldy were ahead 20-21 for the first time in the game and seen determined not to let their slender lead slip.

In the gathering gloom, the Bees continued to be unable to out of their own half and another penalty by Soutar compounded the frustration and sealed the win for Caldy at 20-24.

For the Bees, this was another “could and probably should have won” game to add to the growing pile this season, dampening the festive mood for the Bees faithful. For Caldy, they remedied their first half deficiencies to eek out a gritty win, which keeps them in fourth position in the table.

Next Saturday the Bees head east on the M62 to play Hull RUFC in search of some much needed pre Christmas points and cheer.

Teams

Birmingham & Solihull – Jimmy Oliver, Dai Evans, Rod Petty, Rob Connolly, Aquile Smith, Adam Canning (2P, 2C), Jack Jolly, Mike Stephens, Darren Forder, Ashley Scriven, , Chris Goddard ©, Solomon Dacres (2T), Nick Bingham, Will Crane and Peter Koziot. Replacements – Jonah Boyce, Liam Dunne, Lawrence Finch, Matt Williams & Steve Johns.

Caldy – Andrew Soutar (3C, P), Ben Eaves, Gavin Roberts, Tom Banks (T), Nic Royle, Dom Kohler, John Broxson, Craig Smithson, Nyle Davidson, Stuart Cross, Tom Sanders, Louis McGowan, Derek Salisbury, Neil Dowridge (T), Colin Campbell. Replacements – Nathan Rushton, John Weir, Fraser Smale, Ben Jones and Christian Jones. Pen Try (T).

Referee – Claire Hodnett