Lions unable to strike down the Bees
Midlands Premier
FIRST met third at Portway but Peterborough
Lions were unable to end Birmingham and Solihull Bees’ perfect record as the hosts sealed a 22-17 win.
Peterborough briefly led as a converted try cancelled out Nathan Tilsey’s opening score, but JT Nabetelevu restored the Bees lead, 17-12 by the interval. Matt Spink then crossed twice after the break as the bonus point was secured and although Peterborough grabbed a try back late on, they could not mount a comeback. Lions’ defeat allowed
Newport Salop to move four points clear in second, as they edged a tight encounter to beat Derby 23-19, although they are now 12 points adrift of Birmingham.
The sides traded two tries apiece in the first half, but Derby had a slender 1413 lead at the break.
However, a penalty and a catch and drive try saw Newport open up a ninepoint advantage, which would prove enough, despite Derby’s late third try.
Sandbach’s seven game winning run came to an end as they were beaten 2117 at Scunthorpe.
Scunthorpe led 11-0 at half-time and despite a second half Sandbach comeback, they held on for a third league win in a row. At the bottom Old
Halesonians fell to another
heavy defeat, 74-19 at Bournville, although after three scoreless games they did at least get on the board.
Longton moved out of the relegation zone, climbing above their hosts’
Lichfield as a late try saw them snatch a 22-19 win.
A try apiece saw the scores locked at 5-5 in a tight first half, and then 1212 early in the second half, Longon then edged ahead with a drop goal, before Lichfield thought they had won it with a third try.
However they would be denied minutes later as for the third time Longton’s driving maul proved too much to seal a crucial victory. Newbold on Avon remain in the bottom three as they were beaten 47-35 under the lights at Doncaster Phoenix.
And in the day’s final game, Bridgnorth moved up to eighth thanks to a 3420 win at home over
Nuneaton who are now tenth with five wins from their 12 games.