Academy away day

A Cold damp morning for Bees first trip to Earlsdon. Heavy Academy commitments for Bees giving opportunities for many.
Earlsdon start with Bees recycling a couple of times before going wide and past halfway. Turnovers exchanged before Bees go off their feet. Earlsdon kick but don’t make touch and a couple of rucks later sees a penalty conceded by Earlsdon that Bees don't make touch from. Earlsdon run the return recycling initially before knocking on. Eight pick up for Bees and the ball sent quickly down the line with good yardage made into the 22. Ball recycled and out to Lewis B to go through the first line of defence and over. 5m in 0-5.
From the restart Bees errors started to give easier territory for Earlsdon and they started to exercise some good control forcing their way up to Bees Line. Some strong defence keeping them at bay. Earlsdon forward play got them close twice but Bees defence holding firm before their counter rucking rewarded with Earlsdon going in at the side. Bees clear the penalty past the 22. Good lineout ball quickly sent out out sees an initial break from Dec and good pass out wide to Josh to allow him to outstrip the defence and go over. 14m 0-10.
Earlsdon’s restart goes out on the full. From the Bees scrum the ball goes out wide. Bees recycle getting the ball back into midfield, a couple of phases later and quick ball goes out to Nathan for him to spot and go through a gap and race to the line to score. Aggy converts. 18m 0-17.
Lots of attrition between the forwards was followed by the best move of the match. From a Bees scrum deep in their half the ball goes quickly out to 12 and back inside for a great running line for Josh to run through the first line of defence before stepping the full back to go over again. Aggy converts. 25m 0-24
An unintentional offside from the restart gives Earlsdon a penalty that they run. Ground made into the 22 and eventually Earlsdon get to and over Bees line but are held up. From the 5m scrum a pick up at 8 and Bees defence going to high allows the 8 to go over on 28 minutes to close out the scoring action from the first half. 5-24
Bees start the 2nd half the brighter and win the territory battle getting a penalty near the 22 following Earlsdon going offside at a scrum. Bees run quickly and wide to Ivor to go over with support on his shoulder. 38m for 5-29.
Shortly after the restart Bees penalised for going in at the side, marched back 10, followed with a penalty and yellow for Josh taking a player beyond the horizontal. Earlsdon run eventually forming a maul making progress up to the Bees line and over. 44m for 10-29.
The score certainly motivated Earlsdon who remained strong opposition for the rest of the game. The remainder of the game best described as a cutting up pitch, very cold hands and a ball coated in muddy slime. Plenty of close quarter action and plenty of errors but playing conditions never giving Bees some of the quick ball they exploited well in the first half.
Certainly glad it wasn't my turn to get the kit washed for next week.