Bradford & Bingley 12

New Brighton 10

The Bees came into this game at a low ebb, having lost their previous three matches and starting without the huge presence of Bloues Volschenk.

However, the Wagon Lane faithful were rewarded with a gutsy defensive performance and far more zip in attack as the Bees managed to stifle a New Brighton side who were strong favourites.

The opening exchanges showed the Bees to be a completely different side to the one which performed so abjectly at Kendal.

There was far more vigour from the Bees as soon as they got on the front foot and a great deal more cohesion in repelling New Brighton whenever they threatened.

The hosts took the lead after 14 minutes when skipper Tom Rhodes slotted a penalty when New Brighton strayed offside.

Four minutes later a tackle from centre Jon-Paul Rimmington, which stopped an almost certain score for the men in blue and white, was a superb example of how this Bees side had lifted themselves from the previous week. A previously porous defence suddenly seemed rock solid.

They also seemed to have recovered their confidence with ball in hand, led by scrum half Matt Rhodes, fly half Tom Rhodes and centre Stuart Dixon, who was linking in midfield with a style that has been missing in recent weeks.

However, New Brighton took the lead after 31 minutes when skipper Richard Bradshaw was the last man to touch the ball as the visiting forwards ploughed over the line. The conversion from full back Birley left the visitors 7-3 in front but the Bees replied almost immediately with a Tom Rhodes penalty making it 7-6.

The Bees' kicking game, so poor against Kendal, was instrumental in keeping the visitors pinned back in their own 22. After 52 minutes the Bees regained their lead as a scrum taken against the head set up Tom Rhodes for a midfield drop goal. A 9-7 lead never looked likely to see the Bees home, and there was no suprise when New Brighton's Naylor landed a 63rd-minute penalty to restore their lead.

Full backs Birley and Joe Simpson were each sin-binned, and with three minutes left Tom Rhodes won it with another drop goal.