Late point is such a bonus for Bees

Despite the scoreline, this was largely an exercise in frustration for Bradford & Bingley.

While victory wasn't in doubt, despite a tough opening five minutes against the wind, whether the Bees got the bonus point for four tries very much was.

They notched their first touch-down in the 14th minute, their second in the 55th, their third in the 72nd and the vital fourth just four minutes from the end of normal time.

With the tension released, how-ever, the Bees then added two tries in injury time, fly half and skipper Tom Rhodes completing a perfect afternoon with the boot in trying conditions by notching all six conversions.

The upshot of Saturday's results is that Bradford & Bingley now lead Blaydon by four points with a game in hand and have stretched their advantage over third-placed Nuneaton to six points.

However, Nuneaton have a game in hand over the Bees, which is at Blaydon next Saturday. Nuneaton, of course, also have to come to Wagon Lane on April 29 and to Cleckheaton surprise winners over Tynedale on Sat-urday - on May 6.

Bees second row Barry Clark summed up Saturday's proceed-ings by saying: "It was a very, very frustrating afternoon.

"We realised we should have played a lot better we got white line fever at times - and didn't make it easy for ourselves.

"They came to spoil and the referee gave them chances to do it but we shouldn't have given them the opportunities to do it.

"But to say that we didn't play well and still came away with a 42-0 victory is a good sign and gives us some breathing space at the top of the table."

The Bees, who were without right winger Joe Simpson (ad-ductor muscle injury), played into a strong wind in the first half and rarely got out of their 22 for the opening five minutes, Li-ons going close to a try on at least two occasions.

However, they survived and al-most grabbed a try themselves in the 12th minute, Rhodes' stabbed kick through being knocked on by left winger Mark Kirkby with the line beckoning.

Two minutes later they took the lead. Scrum half Joe Heta made a good break and, although his pass missed Rhodes, centre Phil Greaves picked the ball up after one bounce and forced his way over.

With Ben Greaves a calm last line of defence, the Bees almost increased their lead in a 48-minute half, Kirkby being shoved into touch on the left.

The strength of the wind was seen in the seventh minute of the second half when Phil Greaves broke through in the centre, Rhodes' pass to the right being caught in a gust and spiralling downwards.

The match was becoming in-creasingly scrappy and tetchy before centre Stuart Dixon ac-cepted a short Heta pass to go over in the 55th minute, Rhodes' conversion going over via the far upright.

The visitors were getting the bird from the crowd for a suc-cession of what looked like mi-nor injuries, and they also tested the patience of referee Mike Reid to its limit, hooker Dave Ager being sin-binned in the 67th min-ute.

Kirkby was held up over the line three minutes later, but the bo-nus point was finally secured by tries from Phil Greaves and Kirkby.

Lock Gary Watson became the second Lions player in the bin in the 77th minute, also for persis-tent technical infringements, and the Bees finished in a flour-ish with injury-time tries for No 8 Barry Jacobsz and flanker Kern Yates, who was, as ever, supporting a breakaway.