Bacco on 138

By Elliott Josypenko
January 24 2005

A Nick Baxter double helped Bees to victory over Orrell at Sharmans Cross Road - bringing his career total to 138.

Baxter was set to retire in the summer but 12 league tries so far this term, placing him among the frontrunners of the National One try-scoring league table, make persuading him to play on one of Phil Maynard's shrewdest decisions of the summer.

Unless Baxter now goes on a try blitz in the remaining nine fixtures, it will be interesting to see if the pull of 150 career league tries will be enough to lure him back for one last crack.

This win shows that Bees, if not back to their form when they were league leaders at the start of the season, are at least starting to play again.

Maynard, Bees' director of rugby, said: "It was a good win. Orrell showed a lot of guts and determination. "With three wins at home since the New Year, we have secured everything we needed to secure and can start with the building blocks for next year now."

Bees took the lead through Baxter after three minutes but Orrell were back four minutes later when a wayward pass from scrum-half Paul Knight left Warren Spragg with the easy job of touching down.

Luke Narraway, on loan from Gloucester put Bees back in front and Tim Walsh made it 12-7.

Adam Kirby went over to restore Orrell's lead.

Matt Miles went over just before the break but Orrell still stole the half when a Moore penalty levelled.

Moore then put Orrell ahead yet again with a second penalty on 56 minutes but suddenly Bees got their game together and full-back Dave Knight and winger Simon Hunt both went over for tries converted by Walsh.

Finally Baxter ran 50 yards to score under the posts.

To cap it all Orrell's coach failed to start and they had to wait for a replacement to be sent from Wigan.

Bees fans treated the visitors to free beer and fish and chips until they were finally able to leave at about 9.30pm.