Prior to the game, Preston Grasshoppers sat just four points and two places above the Bees in National League 2 North, so this was a true “10 pointer”. However it was the men from Lancashire who would head back north with five points in the bag, leaving the Bees with nothing but a growing sense of anxiety surrounding the retention of their position in English rugby’s fourth tier.

On a dry but bitterly cold afternoon, the strong northerly wind blowing at an exposed Portway meant that the side playing with the elements at their backs in the first half would need to put adequate points on the board. That onus fell to the home side and their failure to achieve this – going into the break even at 5-5 – in many ways sealed the eventual outcome of the game.

Both sides went about their business with purpose in the opening exchanges of the game, but there was more heat than light with neither side able to break the scoring stalemate. Preston struggled to retain their lineout ball whilst fears about the Bees scrum – with its young and relatively inexperienced front row – proving to be largely unfounded.

It was ‘Hoppers who were to eventually open the scoring on the 31st minute mark thanks to a innocuous five pointer from Lewis Allen, although the Preston fly half was unable to convert his own try.

Bees blushes were spared by a try in the corner by winger Aquile Smith on the stroke of half time, set up by some superb work by flanker Rob Connolly. Canning’s conversion effort was creditable given the conditions, but nonetheless unsuccessful. And whilst honours were even in scoring terms, the visitors were certainly in pole position for the second period.

Preston were first again on the scoreboard in the second half with burly tighthead prop Peter Altham crashing over in front of the posts from short range with just 3 minutes on referee Hodnett’s watch. With Allen able to slot the conversion, Hoppers took a 5-12 lead.

To their credit, the Bees got themselves back in the game, with Aquile Smith scoring his second try and his 8th in 15 appearances this season, deftly chipping over the defence and ably winning the scramble to get the first hand on the ball over the touch line. Canning’s conversion was unsuccessful, but the Bees were back in the hunt at 10-12.

For a brief period, the home side began to move the ball around in a manner reminiscent of their winning second half performance up at Preston back in October. Alas, this was to fade as quickly as the wintry sun at Portway and two unanswered tries, the first from No.8 Chris Taylor and the second from flanker Andy Napier – the former converted by Allen - took the game and the points away from the Bees.

It was a frustrating and disappointing outcome for Eugene Martin’s side, although in truth a beefy Preston side out-muscled the Bees in key departments and were worthy winners on a day better suited to their more forward-orientated approach.

There were some creditable individual performances for the home side – in the forwards Andy Kettle and Liam Dunne did well under difficult circumstances at prop, Will Crane put another impressive shift at hooker, whilst veteran Rob Connolly was a continued thorn in the Grasshoppers side. In the backs, Aquile Smith again proved that he is a real threat in the tightest of spaces and Charlie Ding made a notable impact when he came on late in the game.

However, the cohesion and intensity that secured the win at Sedgley Park two weeks earlier was markedly absent and the Bees will need to up their game significantly when they travel to league leaders Hull Ionians next Saturday, 7th February.

Beyond that, with just 5 points currently separating the Bees from the drop zone, avoiding relegation is now becoming an increasing imperative for the performance team at Portway.

Teams

Birmingham & Solihull – Louis Roach, Ian Briggs, Jimmy Oliver, Steve Johns, Aquile Smith (2T), Adam Canning, Rod Petty, Rob Gregg, Ashley Scriven, Rob Connolly, Chris Goddard ©, Henno Venter, Liam Dunne, Will Crane and Andrew Kettle. Replacements – Peter Koziot, Steve Leach, Jack Linnett, Charlie Ding and Alex O’Malley.

Preston Grasshoppers – Mark Murray, Jordan Scott, Sam Russell, Billy Woof, Phil Bains ©, Lewis Allen (T,2C), Sam Kindred, Chris Taylor (T), Will Lees, Andy Napier (T), Ally Murray, Jack Banks, Peter Altham (T), Phil Mills and Dan Madden. Replacements – Alan Holmes, Oga Mabaya, Matt Frings, Alex Zavallis-Roebuck and Harry Reddick.

Referee – Claire Hodnett