Second-half fightback shows Bees have spirit (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Second-half fightback shows Bees have spirit

7:37pm Sunday 29th November 2009

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Loughborough Students 52, Bradford & Bingley 13

A much-improved second-half performance from Bradford & Bingley earned generous praise from the home support yesterday as Loughborough Students confirmed their place at the top of National League Two North, running in eight scores in the process.

Loughborough’s coaches stated that they fully expect at least five of this current squad to be playing in the Premiership when they finish their studies, and with coaching and preparation that is of the highest order at Loughborough, which is the home base of many British Olympic hopefuls for 2012, it seems inevitable that the Students will continue their march up the league structure to become one of the elite rugby clubs in the country.

The talent right through the Students’ squad was evident from the start, and their eight scores were split evenly with four apiece for the backs and forwards.

The early pace of the home side's attacks had the Bees in trouble almost from the off, and with four scores arriving in quick succession the contest was effectively over after 24 minutes as back-rower Phil Burgess crashed over for the bonus-point score. Loughborough had the scoreboard ticking over from the third minute when Nathan Lamnden crossed, followed on nine minutes by Tom Cobb and three minutes later by Henry Pyrgos, a talented scrum half who has been talked about as a future international.

However, Pyrgos was not the only No 9 on the field to catch the eye as Bees youngster Mark Gemmell was outstanding in the opening 40.

His half-back partner Steve Brimacombe also shone as both spent much of the first stanza tackling anything that moved as the students flooded forward.

With the half-time scoreboard showing 33-6, a cricket score might have been on the cards had the Bees not shown tremendous resolve in the second half and a real determination to show they too can play a bit. With a 27-point deficit, victory was never going to be achievable, but with back-row man Tom Ball putting in a man-of-the-match performance, the Bees were at least able to claim a consolation score as Karl Smith got over the whitewash on 52 minutes.

Unfortunately for the Bees, both Hull clubs claimed victories, leaving the Wagon Lane men slightly adrift, but with 18 games to go and a fighting spirit, the season can still be saved.

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