Barking 33 - Bees 29
Oct
Birmingham & Solihull were forced to settle for two bonus points at Barking
despite matching their opponents for much of the match.
Both sides scored four tries but it was Barking who ran out winners at
Goresbrook in National League One.
Bees will need to learn to start playing from the first whistle of each half as
they conceded tries early in both periods and that forced them to play a game
of catch-up that they could never quite manage.
It was even more frustrating for Bees as their opponents played most of the
match with a makeshift scrum-half after Tom Parker’s injury.
The visitors can take consolation from the bonus points that were secured by
Charlie Sadler’s last-minute try and Dan Hawkes’ conversion.
The hosts clinched victory in the 71st minute when Bees spilled the ball and
Barking outside-centre Andrew Henderson pounced on it and sprinted 80
metres to touch down in the corner.
Henderson opened the scoring after just four minutes following good build-up
play by flanker Samuel Reynolds.
Bees hit back two minutes later through Greg Evans but the pattern of the
match was set. With five minutes remaining in the first half, a penalty sent
Bees back into dangerous territory and Henderson combined with Charles
Broughton to send Parker over from close range.
The half finished 17-12 after Sadler went in at the right corner for the first of
his scores and Hawkes converted from the touchline.
Barking scored almost from the kick-off as Matt Reeves spilled the ball and
Thomas Burns drove over.
While Ed Ambrose was off the field, Warwick Lahmert scooted over from a
five-metre scrum to keep Bees in touch.
