Bees get stung by forceful Taunton finish

A FINAL-QUARTER surge saw Taunton edge out Birmingham and Solihull Bees to go top of the table after a third win in four.

Toby East’s penalty for Taunton was cancelled out by Jack Jolley, but from the outset the visitors were dominant in the scrum and it led to the opening try on 19 minutes.

A penalty led to a fivemetre lineout, from which the Birmingham pack could only stop the driving maul illegally as Taunton were awarded a penalty try.

Jolley kicked a second penalty but Taunton stretched their lead to 11 points, as again a scrum penalty saw them on the front foot, hooker Chris Francis going over from close range.

Taunton allowed Bees an immediate response , dropping the kick-off which led to Ed Krawiecki’s break, eventually seeing Marcus Brown cross to make it 17-13 at the interval.

The hosts would lead six minutes after the break as Corey Venus’ fine solo run down the right wing saw him cross in the corner, with Jolley adding an excellent conversion.

They couldn’t build on the turnaround though, as Gary Kingdom soon kicked Taunton level again, and it would be the Titans who finished on the front foot.

Kingdom kicked them ahead with eight minutes left and with the visitors dominating territory, they sealed victory as Aron Struminski went over, denying Bees a bonus point.