Bees take nothing for granted

By Roger Clarke - Birmingham Mail
November 4 2005

Goliath, in the shape of Pertemps Bees, makes the trip to take on Cleckheaton's David tomorrow hoping that the West Yorkshire side have not put fresh elastic on their sling for this Powergen Trophy fifth round clash.

On paper the only doubt about the result should be the score.

Bees, part-time as maybe in National One, are two leagues higher than their Three North hosts.

Both are third bottom in their respective leagues but there the similarity ends, and it will be a major upset, not to mention an acute embarrassment, if Bees were to come away from the Yorkshire woollen town without a pass to the sixth round.

Director of rugby Phil Maynard is well aware of the banana skin lurking along the M62.

He said: "We are preparing for this game as we would for any league game.

"They have people like John Bentley, the British Lion, playing at centre, John Dudley from Rotherham in the second row. They have a big pack and they have only lost one game at home this year and my experience of playing in the north will tell me this is going to be a very difficult trip, but I am looking forward to it."

The cup is important for Bees, providing extra finance for the stretched coffers with a win, according to Maynard, worth about £11,000 in prize money.

Also important is the the chance to build some momentum into a team which has been playing well without getting the results. Twice, against Bedford and Cornish Pirates, Bees were pressing close until their higherranked, full-time opponents moved away in the dying moments.

Bees will see the return of scrum-half Paul Knight who has now completed his six-match suspension for stamping in the game at London Welsh.