Saxons take sting out of the Bees

Blackheath Bees 16 Stourbridge Saxons 19

Tries from Ben Sparks and Nathan Bressington, together with three penalties from the boot of Mark Woodrow, steered the Saxons to their first win of the season.

And they will be hoping to build on this dogged, determined display for the visit of Blackheath to Stourton Park on Saturday.

It was the home side who chalked up the first points through a second minute Dan Hawkes penalty but, in truth, they struggled to cope with a spirited Saxons side.

The opening try came on seven minutes with Sparks popping up wide on the left to run the ball home, after it had been worked along the backs.

The excellent Bressington had gone close moments earlier with a typically rampaging run up the right but he did add his name to the scoresheet on 17 minutes, collecting a pass from Woodrow before stepping inside to dive over the line.

With Woodrow pushing both conversions wide, a second Hawkes penalty edged the home side to within four points but their advance was halted when they lost back row Chris Brightwell to the sin bin after he had thrown a punch.

A knock on denied the Stourbridge pack a third try soon after, but Woodrow did slot over a penalty in the final few minutes of the half to hand the visitors a 13-6 interval lead.

With the breeze at their backs and playing down the slight slope, the Saxons should have wrapped up the points having built such a solid foundation.

But a yellow card for Sparks seven minutes in and a second sin-binning midway through the half for Liam Wordley knocked them off their stride.

Woodrow and Hawkes exchanged penalties early on but, with the Saxons pack down to seven, a powerful home scrummage handed centre Gregg Evans the chance to score for the Bees, an invitation he duly accepted with Hawkes drawing the home side level with the conversion.

It looked as though it would finish all square but the home side then had flanker Sam Farmer binned for the final eight minutes and, after intense pressure, Woodrow slotted his third penalty to secure the win three minutes from time.