North One East: Bradford & Bingley 23 Percy Park 12

NINE Months ago, Bradford & Bingley lost Gerhard Nortier, their orchestrator in chief.

The 27-year-old was returning to South Africa in the hope of gaining a Currie Cup contract with Griquas.

However, as the fly half, who is from the Western Cape, explained: "By the time I had got home, they had already signed someone, and then later in the summer my father passed away.

"I ended up not playing any rugby when I got home, but I am here for the full season with Bradford & Bingley."

Although his autumn campaign was interrupted for six matches with a leg injury, the playmaker is setting the bar high when it comes to the rest of the season.

He said: "Teams play with much more structure in North One East than Yorkshire One but we are only ten points behind leaders West Hartlepool and are going for the title."

On an afternoon that was even more primitive that the one when Nortier signed off last February at home to Yarnbury, the Bees had to settle for a four-point victory as they notched their fifth straight triumph.

West Hartlepool (45 points) and second-placed Penrith (42) both won, but third-placed Alnwick (37) and fourth-placed Pocklington (36) both lost, enabling the fifth-placed Bees to narrow the gap on them to two points and one point respectively.

Having had a early try disallowed for a knock-on by referee Carl Walsh following a grubber kick by scrum half Lee Neha after which one visiting player appeared to kick the ball against a team-mate, the Bees had to settle for a penalty by centre Schalk Oosthuizen.

His tap and go almost brought a more tangible reward in the 12th minute, and the South African also missed a penalty three minutes later after a Percy Park flanker had come in from the side.

Over-adventurous play by home right winger Ryan Wilson and full back Adam Mitchell led to the latter being caught in possession inside their 22, and only diligent defence in the face of multiple Percy Park phases, and Neha sliding into touch with the ball when the visitors kicked ahead saved the Bees from conceding.

Oosthuizen slotted his second penalty on the half hour for 6-0, and four minutes later prop Ryan Wederell got a try for the front-row club to make it 11-0.

There was a curiosity with the conversion, however, when Walsh ruled that Percy Park had rushed Oosthuizen too early and ordered the kick to be retaken, which Oosthuizen promptly missed.

Percy Park's only chance of points from the kicking tee came in the 38th minute, but full back Michael Groves missed the penalty.

The first half contained two sleet flurries, with both teams being glad of a few minutes in the changing rooms while Walsh braved it in the Percy Park dug-out.

With the Bees now playing towards the changing rooms, Oosthuizen was short with a penalty from halfway in the 45th minute.

However, his mighty boot converted his Wederell's second try seven minutes later in the left-hand corner, and he added a try himself in the 67th minute after neat interplay down the left involving winger Adam Sutcliffe.

The rest of the match belonged to the men in the black and white shirts, however, with Eddie Saint and Olly Gilmore scoring tries and Groves adding the conversion to Gilmore's try.

The Bees were down to 13 fit men for the Saint, try, however, as flanker Manny Riaz and No 8 Sam White were on the floor after a clash of heads.

It was so chilly in the second half that Percy Park winger Dan Chambers asked the dug out if he could come off with ten minutes left because he was frozen, but he stayed on and made a 30-metre carry two minutes later!