Bees 25-14 Percy Park

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 seventy eighth minute of this pulsating contest it not only broke that five year streak, but also wrapped up the win for the home side after the visitors had pulled to within a point in the seventy first minute when Mark Berry crashed over the Bees line from a close range lineout.

Had Percy Park's Ash Smith converted that score and put his side a point in front by a point at 16-15 it would have completed an unlikely looking comeback for the visitors who looked likely to be on the wrong end of a hiding as the Bees set off at a tremendous lick and found themselves ten points in front with eight minutes played.

Taylor opened the Bees account for the season with a routine penalty kick on three minutes and followed that kick 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 for the Bees looks like it will be a key component in keeping the Bees on the front foot and keeping opposing defences honest, 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 enjoying himself from first to last having slipped from scrum half out to his preferred number 10 shirt over the summer.

After weathering the initial storm from the Bees, Percy Park began to put together some phases of play of their own and were able to open their account in the 12th minute with an Ash Smith drop goal. The same player doubled his sides tally on 28 minutes with a penalty, but with half time approaching the home side were able to stretch 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 gentleman bashing a hole in the opposition defence. Taylor could not improve the score from the kicking tee and the side went in at half time with the Bees holding a 15 points to 6 advantage.

Although both sides had their moments as the second half progressed, it took almost 20 minutes for the scoreboard to be affected, as Smith landed a penalty to bring his side within 6. As the game rolled into the final ten minutes 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 of the game. The Bees defence held firm and as progress was made up field, the Bees eventually found a decent field position to set up Taylor that all important drop goal.

There was still injury time to play, but Percy Park were unable to make any inroads as the clock ticked on, they began to concede penalties which allowed the Bees to slowly march upfield. 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.