Bees start to feel the pinch

By Elliott Josypenko
February 8 2005

Pertemps Bees managed to prove that lightning seldom strikes twice, at least in rugby matches, as they were battered at Coventry.

The last time the pair met, at the same Butts Stadium in November, Coventry reached the break 20-0 ahead and had a boot in the sixth round of the Powergen Cup, but Bees stormed back to snatch the tie 28-23.

This time Coventry were 26-0 up at the break and in no mood to let the Bees back in again.

Home No.8 Dan Farani scored twice, as did replacement prop Donovan Saunders, as in-form Coventry put Bees to the sword.

Bees' director of rugby Phil Maynard said: "We are not playing very well. It would be nice to bring some new players in and freshen the squad but we can't do that.

"This is week 32 for a lot of our players and this is when a really tiny squad starts to take its toll. You cannot play every week and stay fresh.

"But that is taking nothing away from Coventry, they are an in-form side and they are playing some really great rugby. They have good line-breakers and powerful runners who will give anybody problems in this division."

Bees were 7-0 down after three minutes. Paul Jones went over in the corner and John Higgins converted from the touchline.

Canadian centres Nik Wikowski and John Cannon both went over, with Higgins missing the second conversion.

When prop Jim Thorp then went off with a shoulder injury, Bees knew it was not their day especially when Farani went over in injury time.

Changing ends changed nothing as hooker Rich Protherough went in under the posts, followed by Saunders and Farani, with Higgins hitting two out of three conversions.

With 15 minutes to go Bees finally troubled the scorer when prop Martin O'Keefe went over and Walsh converted but Coventry still managed 50 as Saunders added his second.

Bees had problems in set plays, particularly in the line-out. Maynard said: "It did not help that Matt Miles had his worst game for us by his own admission.

"At one stage he had missed nine out of 11 line-outs and you are not going to beat anybody with statistics like that.''


Roger Clarke- Evening Mail