SINCE Tom Rhodes hung up his kicking boots around a decade ago, drop goals have become a rare collector's item at Wagon Lane, as no Bradford and Bingley player has landed a shot at goal in open play since Shaun Driver slotted a three-pointer in the 2014/15 season.

When Lance Taylor stepped up and nailed the drop goal in the 78th minute of this pulsating North One East contest, it not only broke that five-year streak, but also wrapped up the win for the Bees at home to Percy Park.

The visitors had pulled to within a point in the 71st minute when Mark Berry crashed over from a close range lineout. Had Ash Smith converted that score and put his side a point in front at 16-15, it would have completed an unlikely looking comeback.

But Taylor's kick calmed home nerves as Bees went on to seal a 25-14 victory.

The hosts had set off at a tremendous lick as Taylor opened their account with a routine penalty kick on three minutes and followed that with a conversion of his half-back partner Ben Hockenhull's try five minutes later.

The Hockenhull and Taylor axis in the middle of the field looks a key component in keeping the Bees on the front foot, as both players showed a turn of pace and a spatial awareness which brings another dimension to the Bees' half-back play.

Taylor looked to be enjoying himself from first to last, having slipped from scrum half out to his preferred number 10 shirt over the summer.

Percy Park opened their account in the 12th minute with an Ash Smith drop goal and he doubled his side's tally on 28 minutes with a penalty.

However, the home side stretched away again as Benny Greaves benefited from an initial surge towards the line from Heimuli Taufa. Greaves may be the oldest in the Bees back line, but remains one of the fittest, and he was first to react as the ball came loose as Taufa continued a long-standing Wagon Lane tradition of a large Tongan bashing a hole in the opposition defence.

Bees held a 15-6 half-time advantage, and it took almost 20 minutes of the second half for that to change as Smith landed a penalty to bring his side within six.

Taufa was shown yellow after holding back a Percy Park player in a maul. With a kick to the corner setting up the close range lineout, the visiting forwards were able to execute their drill perfectly to propel Berry over the line.

With Smith unable to improve that score and the home side down to 14 men, the stage was set for an epic final 10 minutes.

The Bees defence held firm and as progress was made up field, the Bees eventually found a decent field position to set up Taylor for that all-important drop goal.

Almost with the last play of the game, the Bees put the game beyond any doubt and removed a losing bonus point from their visitors as second row man, Kati Tuipolutu, barged over. Taylor improved the score and it was 25-14 to Hugh Gumbs' side.