Breezy and chilly at Portway for the NM Cup opener against Telford.
Bees start brightly with the kickoff finding touch. A not straight line out converted to Bees possession by taking the scrum against the head, with the ball out wide quickly for Tom O to go over and back round to ease the conversion. Aggy converts for 7-0 2 minutes in.
Telford restart long and Bees knock on. Bees again win ball against the head and clear from their 22. Telford run the return but Bees turnover the ball at the ruck and progress to half way before a high tackle is called. Bees run run the penalty going wide and then offend at the breakdown. Telford find touch on Bees 22. Not Straight at the line out gives Bees the scrum. Bees secure ball kicking crossfield. Dec makes initial progress, Bees recycle and go wide with Nathan making ground to Telford 22 before being penailsed for holding on. Telford clear to halfway. Bees secure possession from the lineout sending the ball wide, with a grubber from wide finding touch in Telfords 22. Telford secure possession from the lineout and come up with a penalty. Telford run recycling before going wide where Bees earn turnover and some driving play wide sees Lewis H go over from close range. 12-0 on 12 minutes.
Telford restart and Bees make initial ground back up to halfway. Quick recycling and a couple of charges later sees an offload to Corry to run in from the 22. Aggy converts for 19-0 on 14 minutes.
Telford restart and Bees knock on.Bees again take the ball against the head and send the ball wide with Dec making ground past the 10m. Bees recycle initially but knock on at the next breakdown. Telford secure ball from their scrum and clear long to touch on Bees 22. Bees take possession from the line out and quck recycling and straight running sees them move upfield quickly. Bees go wide but are brought back for a Telford offside. Quick running from the penalty allowing Will S to go over (before Jaeger time) . 24-0 on 19 minutes.
Telford restart doesn't go 10 but Bees play the ball, quck recycling sees breaks from Lewis H and then Corry who offloads to Andy to go on a charge and over. Who needs backs? Aggy converts for 31-0 on 22 minutes.
Lots of grunt and commitment for the remainder of the half and Telfords first sustained period in Bees 22 but Bees defence holding firm. The half ending with Bees attacking in Telfords 22.
Telford restart and Bees attack wide but are called back for a forward pass. Telford secure ball from the scrum and make progress up to Bees 22 before knocking on. Bees secure ball from the scrum and attack wide making in past halfway. Quick recycling sees the ball out to Corry for another break and offload to PJ to finish. Aggy converts for 38-0 on 38 minutes.
Telford continue to compete well and at last earn some reward with an incomplete pass in midfield is pounced on in the centres for Telford to out pace the scrambling Bees defence. Converted for 38-7 on 44 minutes.
Further scoring from Bees closed out the game early. PJ setting up the first with a break and kick deep into the Telford 22 followed up with a strong tackle on the full back to free up the ball for Jack to go over on 48 minutes. Aggy converts for 45-7.
Next up was Cole to tack a sideways run from turnover at the line out. Telford waiting for which centre was going to take the pass and Cole spotting and exploiting a gap to go through on 54 minutes. Aggy converts for 52-7.
The final score going to Bees with a great kick and chase from Cole. Although beaten to the ball deep in the 22, sufficient pressure applied for the ball to find its way out to one of the lads with the silly hats. Will give it to Noah who had a quiet game today. Result 57-7 confirmed on 63 minutes.
Any cobwebs from Christmas and the New Year blown away with this first outing for 2018.