Bees 32 Scarborough 59

91 points scored in 80 minutes is very certain indication that neither side will remember this game as a defensive masterclass, but it was superb entertainment played in glorious conditions with both sides throwing the ball around and trying to score from all areas of the field. Initially it looked like it may be a very long day at the office for the Bees as Scarborough breezed into a 12 point lead after 6 minutes with both wingers getting over the whitewash firstly wide out to the left and then wide out to the right. After that initial shock the Bees did calm things down somewhat and Scarborough were no longer having everything their own way, although a string of poor tackles in the middle of the field allowed the visitors to get back on the front foot when good defensive work had pressed them back into their own half. It took until the 23rd minute for Scarborough to extend their lead, when Bees debutant Will Sagar managed to break up an attack but then flipped out a pass to an open Scarborough player who jogged home for a converted score. The concession of a fourth try in the 26th minute certainly seemed to galvanise something in the Bees ranks and it was now the home side’s turn to press forward in attack. Joe Daley broke a couple of tackles and before a final Scarborough defender was able to wrestle the big second rower to the floor, he was able to pop a deft pass to Cameron Bainbridge who was galloping up in support. Bainbridge burst over the line to the left of the posts and it was now 24 points to 8. It was Bainbridge again who was the key man in the Bees next score. As Scarborough pressed near the home line, the ball bobbled loose and full back Bainbridge gathered the ball. He looked up to survey his options and as everyone anticipated a clearance kick, Bainbridge skipped to his left and was suddenly one on one with the Scarborough winger. Bainbridge set off up the touchline and as the Scarborough defence pursued him out of the Bees 22, the ball was slipped to Henry Reed-Purvis who was outside his full back. He needed no further invitation and pinned his ears back and headed for the Scarborough line. The Bees continued to build the pressure and were rewarded with a third try on thirty seven minutes with Bainbridge again the scorer. The sides turned round at 15 points to 24 in favour of the visitors and its certainly felt like anyone could win it after the Bees had originally looked very much second best in the opening exchanges. The second half opened in a similar vain to the first and the visitors had run in 3 more score in the first ten minutes of the half, largely as a result of Bees errors, with two of the scores coming from interceptions. As the hour mark came up, it was again looking like it would be a long afternoon for the Bees defence as Scarborough stretched their advantage to 52 points to 20. As the game moved into the final quarter the Bees were once more on the front foot and although the visitors tagged on a final score in the 67th minute, the home side collected a fourth try and a bonus point with a score in from Sagar who stretched for the line to the left of the posts and then collected a fifth score with five minutes to play as Joe Daley ploughed over in the corner in front of the club house.