Fast and loose is not the Bees way as they lose try-fest (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Fast and loose is not the Bees way as they lose try-fest

4:29pm Sunday 22nd April 2012 in Bees By Nick Patterson

Bradford & Bingley 43, Lymm 49

With nothing to play for in their final SSE National League Three North game of the season yesterday, both sides took a cavalier approach to attack and defence throughout this game.

But it is evident that the Bees are not at their best when the game opens up to such an extent that it resembles a training game of touch and pass.

The match should have been firmly wrapped up by the home side as they cruised to a 43-32 lead in the 53rd minute, but Lymm showed they were the better side at throwing the ball about and won the game in handsome style with 17 unanswered points in the final quarter.

With 15 points on the board inside the first six minutes, Bees coach Stuart Dixon joked that he thought a scoreline of 89-87 looked on the cards, and with both sides seemingly scoring at will it appeared that he would not be too far off the mark.

The Bees were first off the mark on two minutes as Adam Wellington collected a crossfield kick from Tom Bills to score out wide.

That was the first of 15 scores the Wagon Lane crowd would witness and set the tone for the afternoon as both sides tried all their training-ground moves in attack, and both defences appeared to be having an afternoon snooze.

Lymm replied with a try of their own through Matthew Barnes-Smith straight from the kick-off, followed by a penalty from the same player to nudge the visitors into an early lead.

In among the sevens-style rugby, there were periods when some old fashioned grunt was the order of the day as the Bees pack set about shoving the the Lymm forwards this way and that, with Stewart Brewer collecting a pushover score from once such heave.

However, as the game progressed it was the backs who enjoyed their day in the spring sunshine with Tom Kanouros very much to the fore in all the good work the Bees were doing in broken play.

He picked up three scores himself but also set up a couple of others with his searing pace from full back.

The sides turned round at 31-20 but playing up the slope and into the wind it was the Lymm back line who ruled the roost as they picked up five second-half tries from Chris Kinsey, Matt Delaney, Chris Walcott and a brace from Joe Walcott.

It was an entertaining end to the season but not a game-plan the Bees will be using too often next season as they hope to mount a serious promotion attempt.