Bees backs exposed as Penrith go to town

In a complete reversal of their previous week’s form, Bradford & Bingley were run ragged by a side which looked yards faster in every department yesterday.

The Bees forwards maintained a steady enough platform but once the ball was in open play there was only one side in it in this National League Three North clash.

Nothing went to plan for the home side whereas everything Penrith did seemed to keep the visitors moving and always threatened a score.

Bradford & Bingley had the visiting forwards moving backwards at a rate of knots on several occasions.

When a maul deep inside home territory moved about 20 metres upfield, most Bees supporters thought that the forwards should have kept their heads down and kept going for another 50 metres as this looked like their only likely way of getting over the Penrith line.

The visitors just seemed to have too much pace and guile at half-back and in the centres and fully deserved their victory.

It was perhaps inevitable that when a home score finally arrived it was via the forwards, who shunted Andy Shields over in the corner, although Gavin Stead’s try early in the second half was a rare example of the home backline showing some attacking bite.

At the end of the season, the Bees may look back at this game as a lesson they needed to learn to be genuine contenders, or on the other hand it may just be a fair reflection of how far off the promotion placings this Bradford & Bingley side are.