BRADFORD & Bingley have finally laid the bogey that Baildon had over them.
The Jenny Laners had won their previous three meetings over the past two seasons in Counties Two Yorkshire, but there was no fourth successive victory.
However, despite Baildon having a man sent off as early as the 14th minute at Wagon Lane, the win was not secured for the Bees until 64 minutes later as Baildon showed tremendous spirit, including having a 13-12 advantage.
Bradford & Bingley took the lead with a fourth-minute try from prop Lewis Brook, converted by full back Dom Walker, but back came Baildon, either side of the dismissal of flanker Mason Holmes-Field for a boot to the head, with two Ollie Williams penalties.
Prop Alex Leadbeater extended the Bees’ lead with a second try, but back came Baildon again with a superb try down the left wing by Luke Strauss, Williams converting for a 13-12 lead.
Alex’s brother Oli then scored in stoppage time, Walker converting to make it 19-13, and a Walker penalty seven minutes into the second half made it a nine-point advantage.
However, Williams kicked another penalty in the 49th minute to add to home nerves, which weren’t eased by Walker missing a very kickable penalty 13 minutes later.
The latter then received a yellow card in the 72nd minute after delaying matters following his own knock-on, but winger Ryan Wilson’s try six minutes later sealed victory, Ben Hemsley converting superbly from the left touchline.
Home coach Ali Macdonald said: “Baildon certainly had the hoodoo over us and we were on a bit of a roll before they beat us at their place (26-17 in November), where we fell into the trap of playing the occasion instead of playing our game.
“They marched us up the pitch four times and kicked three penalties so that has been a focus since we last met. We just concentrate on the next job, the next job and if that is a penalty against us we just defend the next phase and trust in our systems, which seem to be working.
“In the first half here we only gave away four penalties, which we are absolutely buzzing about, although we got a bit loose in the second half where there were penalties against both teams and everything seemed a bit rushed.
“However, overall I am fairly pleased with the performance, we defended well and we did what we practiced.
“Dom’s kicking percentage at goal must be 80 per cent, which is excellent, while Ben in the backline has been a calming influence, which he has brought over the past two seasons. His communication is fantastic and he is our best attacking talent.
“Meanwhile, Alex and Oli Leadbeater have also been fantastic - not just on the pitch but in the way that they train, and they have really bought into strength and conditioning and they are powerful, making five, six, 10 metres with their carries.”
Macdonald added: “This was the last in a four-game block for us and we have targeted a win and a bonus point in each of them and have taken 19 points out of a possible 20, which isn’t a bad return now we are getting to the business end of the season.
“Next we have Huddersfield Laund Hill away, Roundhegians away, Old Otliensians away and Bridlington at home (who are all in the promotion mix alongside the Bees) and we also have Bramley Phoenix at home and Ripon away.”
Baildon’s head coach Jake Duxbury said: “Bradford & Bingley deserved to win as they were the better team, but I cannot fault any of our players for effort.
“We had a man sent off early doors, we lost our captain Ollie Murphy to a head knock in the first five minutes and lost our scrum half (Ollie Briggs) at half-time and we had three forwards on the bench, which added to our challenge, but we always work for each other and that is why we call ourselves a brotherhood.
“We got caught narrow a few times in defence trying to cover the missing player, but I was happy with the way that we reacted and to the way that the referee interpreted things, and we played with our heads up in fairly dire conditions underfoot.
“As for what we could have done better we made a couple of chances that we didn’t ice, such as two-on-ones, but they scrambled well in defence and we didn’t execute the next phase as we would have liked.
“I am getting used to being an off-field coach rather than an on-field coach due to my long-term injury, which has put me out for the season, and that role is very different.
“We are in mid-table now, but I want to see us turn performances into results for the rest of this season, which will set us up for 2026-27.
“We have had so many games this season that have gone down to the wire and we have just come out on the wrong side of things, such as a draw against Ripon on the last play of the game and going from a winning position to a losing position against Dinnington, and that is our challenge - that we stay in the fight.
“We are also doing it tough in terms of injuries and unavailabilities so we must make sure that we are not dragged into anything like a relegation battle.
“There will be a few opportunities for some of our younger lads so that they can hit the ground running for next season after a decent pre-season, but we have lost young Harry Hickling, who came into the team last week but injured his shoulder and will be out for 12 months or so.”
The attendance was boosted by a reunion lunch for 120, and the hosts kicked off towards the cricket field.
Bingley won the first penalty and made that count after they were held up over the line, Brook going over for Walker to convert.
Ollie Murphy then failed a head injury assessment, but back came the visitors with a Williams penalty, Holmes-Field then being dismissed in the 14th minute for a boot to the head of Alex Leadbeater, which initially was thought to be a spear tackle.
Undaunted, Williams knocked over another penalty eight minutes later to make it 7-6, Walker then being winded after just failing to collect his own chip over the first Baildon defensive line.
The brothers Leadbeater combined to good effect in the 31st minute, Oli driving ahead before Alex scored, though Walker missed the conversion.
Trailing 12-6, Baildon then took the lead four minutes later, skilful hooker Mo Gaibee making good ground before Luke Strauss did superbly to evade defenders in front of the changing rooms to score in the left-hand corner, Williams’ superb conversion making it 13-12.
However, that lead lasted only six minutes, Hemsley’s tap and go giving Oli Leadbeater the chance to score in stoppage time, Walker’s extras taking the advantage to 19-13.
Walker’s next contribution early in the second half was a 50-22 towards the changing rooms, but they couldn’t profit from that, having to settle for a Walker penalty a tad later in the 47th minute.
Baildon certainly weren’t playing like a side who were a man short and tested home nerves when Williams knocked over a penalty two minutes after that to make it 22-16.
Dan Wilson came off with cramp for the visitors in the 55th minute and a decent attendance were left wondering how crucial Walker’s straightforward penalty miss was seven minutes later.
Bees winger Ryan Wilson finished the game strongly, however, having a good run in the 70th minute, Walker rather dimming that impetus by picking up a yellow card two minutes later for delaying proceedings after knocking on.
However, it became certain that the Bees would lay their Baildon hoodoo in the 78th minute when Wilson went over on the left, Hemsley taking over kicking duties and nailing an excellent conversion for what was a first win over Baildon (according to Baildon’s chairman Phil Wilson) taking into account meetings against Bingley going back donkey’s years.