BIRMINGHAM & SOLIHULL 31

REDRUTH 7

Just as it is in all facets of modern life, but perhaps more so in sport than any other, timing is everything. Have it and anything is possible, have it not and nothing is probable.

Whether it’s breaking opponents’ hearts by scoring a 100m try after ten minutes of frantic defending or nipping into the Championship just when central funding is upped to £300,000, Birmingham & Solihull seem to have discovered theirs’.

They achieved both feats on Saturday with a clinical dismissal of a Redruth team that had hoped this fixture would confirm their own status as league winners.

Yet while the Cornishmen have faltered of late, Russell Earnshaw’s Bees have been relentless. This was the Silhillians’ 12th consecutive victory, for nearly half a season they have not dropped a single point. Timing doesn’t come much better and for that reason alone they are worthy champions.

But it has not always been this club’s virtue, in fact it is a relatively recently phenomenon. Only slightly more than a year ago they couldn’t help themselves but for squandering winning positions and coaching staff.

Steve Williams and Ben Harvey left within six months of each other - having put together the worst squad in recent times down Sharmans Cross way - and then Allan Lewis balked at joining a sinking ship.

By the stage Earnshaw had assumed control and they had determined which way was up, they were down.

But that’s all in the past. On the field Bees are not only back where they were before the self-destruct button was pressed, they are in a better position.

When they left National One it was a bloated slugfest of a division where perspiration was prized above inspiration, with no appeal to television and token RFU money.

When they next play at level two it will be in the governing body’s all-singing and dancing 12-team league with an imaginative play-off structure and the prospect of facing Leinster and Moseley in the new cup competition. A certain ubiquitous satellite company are even showing an interest.

Timing, as they say, is everything.

And so it was here on Saturday. A few big day nerves? Have a converted try within 40 seconds.

Opponents not lying down? Score another just before half time.

Visitors still not done? Spend the first ten minutes after the restart absorbing their best shots and then scamper from the back of your own in-goal area down the other end. It was classic Rope-a-dope stuff.

It was also the champagne moment, Earnshaw’s pre-match ban on putting the bubbly on ice had clearly not been heeded as magnificent Simon Hunt grabbed his 31st try of an outstanding season.

Redruth bashed, Shaun Pammenter flopped on a fumble, Sam Brown spiralled it back to be cleared by Mark Woodrow who moved it down his threequarters where Reece Spee broke over his own try line, across the 22 and handed on to Hunt.

The razor sharp wing chipped over the last man on halfway and won the foot-race to the ball and the corner flag. It was the knockout punch, Redruth knew they were beaten and Bees knew they were up.

But until that 50th minute juncture the men from The Duchy were not in town to play bridesmaid.

The battle at the breakdown was fearsome and the pace of the game was intense.

Thanks to the efforts of the brilliant Chris Brightwell and Rob Connolly, Bees dictated for the first 25 minutes until they invited ‘Ruth to have a say.

By that point Spee had taken Hunt’s adroit off-load over in the first minute and they would have had more had the ball not spat up at Mitch Culpin after Woodrow’s arrowed kick to the sideline.

Perhaps buoyed by that and a penalty miss, they sent their strong-running centres crashing through midfield and found enough space for lock Damien Cook to nudge his way over.

It was game on until ANZAC double act Brightwell and Rod Petty combined in the 36th minute.

After the break Hunt raced away to break the guests’ spirit and Spee and Brightwell added some swagger to the occasion - with perfect timing.

BEES: Spee; Hunt, Tomlinson, Petty, Culpin (Aston, 79); Woodrow, Brown; Long (Davies, 74), Phillips (Preece, 77), Voisey, Davidson, Pammenter, Brightwell (Clayton, 77), Connolly (Clayton, 13-20), Earnshaw (Halavatau, 77)

REDRUTH: Thirlby; Vinnicombe, Bonds, Kenward (Georgiou, 72), Pedley; Rule, Simmons; Jaques, Hambly (Gidlow, 72), Morcom, (Joyce, 19) Cook, Collins, Mann (Fox, 68) Carroll (Fuca, 76), Bright

Referee: Mr Chris Sharp (RFU).