Sat 24 Oct 2026
A highly anticipated game that we knew would be energetic and very hard, and it didn't disappoint. The weather wasn't helping either side, so it quickly became a forwards-dominated battle with set after set of continuous defence.
Bees struck early with a converted try to go 0–7 up. Claverdon then camped in the Bees half for the next 20 minutes, but in the conditions small errors crept in and we just couldn't find the final execution. Bees scored again just before the break to make it 0–14 at half-time. Even so, the lads were happy with where we were: the effort was there, everyone was playing with their heart and soul, and it was only that final pass or finish that was missing.
The second half opened in the best way, with Elliot Saltmarsh going over after continual pressure from Claverdon, converted by James Williams. The second half was just as brutal as the first, with scrum after scrum and lineout after lineout testing both packs. A few errors in our own half let Bees in for two more tries to make it 7–28.
With 10 minutes to go, Bees were shown a yellow card for a high tackle after several warnings, and our pack capitalised, driving Bees back at the scrum and pinning them in their own 22. Another high tackle brought a second yellow, putting Bees down to 13. On the last play Claverdon won a penalty and called a scrum on the Bees 22. After driving them back we won another penalty, called another scrum, and shoved Bees over their own line for Kit Saltmarsh to score off the back of the scrum. Final score 12–28.
A great, highly competitive game of rugby. We couldn't have asked any more from our players: they pushed hard all game and showed the determination we have as a squad.
Player of the Match: Kit Saltmarsh, for a great game at 9
Tries: Elliot Saltmarsh, Kit Saltmarsh · Con: James Williams
Thank you to Birmingham & Solihull for a hard-fought game, to our match sponsor Al Conway, and to everyone who came down in pink for Breast Cancer Now
Report by Dan Hadley
