One-point win after late scare

By Elliott Josypenko
January 16 2005

Pertemps Bees survived a late London Welsh rally to secure an edgy, one-point victory.

Leading 14-6 with two minutes remaining Bees gifted their opponents a try as centre Adam Bidwell latched on to a charged-down kick to score under the posts.

Then, six minutes into stoppage time, having converted Bidwell's score, fly-half Dylan Pugh had a 35-yard penalty attempt to steal the points.

Luckily for Bees his attempt was wide and short and the hosts were able to celebrate their second consecutive home win.

Number eight Jim Jenner said: "We all know that we can do a lot better than we did in that game.

"But we ground out a victory and at the moment that is an important thing for us to do.

"We will take the win and get through a lot of work next week to take our game forward."

Jenner said that while the conditions mitigated against his side the home team may also have been guilty of underestimating the struggling Exiles.

Bees' first-half performance was nothing short of terrible as they struggled to win their own lineout ball, were destroyed in the scrums and failed to string together any incisive attacking moves. When they did construct multiple phases all too often the decisive pass went to ground or was knocked on.

But the half-time introduction of four substitutes, including fit-again scrum half Paul Knight, seemed to energise the home side to score two converted tries.

Bees made a bright start, pushing their guests on to the defensive and earning a fifth-minute penalty after Lee Starling failed to roll away from prop Andy Le Chevalier.

Home number ten Tim Walsh stepped up but sliced his kick just wide of the left upright.

Pugh punished his opposite number after eight minutes when Bees skipper Ed Orgee conceded a penalty on his own ten-metre line for a 3-0 lead.

The advantage was doubled by Pugh eight minutes later when Le Chevalier was adjudged to have killed the ball just inside his own half.

As the Londoners pressed full-back Mark Meenam latched on to a loose pass, hacked forward twice and was only beaten to the ball by Walsh who had covered 70 yards to clear the danger.

Just after the break centre Shaun Woof broke through Pugh's tackle and the ball was recycled quickly for Walsh to slice through under the posts. The Australian's conversion gave Bees a one-point lead.

Five minutes before the end they looked to have made the game safe when Jenner stole a Welsh lineout close to the line.

After three unsuccessful driving mauls, replacement stand-off Ryan Lamb floated a long pass for Full back Dave Knight to skate over. Lamb's conversion made it 14-6.

But in the 78th minute Paul Knight saw his clearance charged down by flanker Paul Mansfield, who fed Bidwell to scurry across the line.

Pugh's conversion made it a nervy finish for the men from Sharmans Cross Road.

Sunday Mercury- www.icbirmingham.co.uk