RFU National League One: Birmingham & Solihull 38 Barking 3

BIRMINGHAM & Solihull made it two wins in a row with a comprehensive beating of Barking to keep their slim hopes of National League One survival alive.

The Bees scored six tries to none and earned what could be a crucial bonus point come the end of the season. With Stourbridge out of action and the teams above the drop zone all failing to register a win, it was a good day for Russell Earnshaw’s men.

The Bees’ pack dominated their counterparts from the start of this match, continually shoving them backwards in the scrummage and regularly stealing line-out ball.

The first half was a messy affair with few passes going to hand and demonstrating why these were the two bottom clubs in the division. However, the Bees forwards ensured it was a profitable one, driving a maul over for one score before earning a penalty try in the scrum.

That performance laid the platform for a better second half, which Bees totally dominated, running in four tries in a much-improved display.

The home side scored just six minutes into the second half and it was one-way traffic thereafter.

Jon Lowden scored their third try after Bees had put the balls through multiple phases in the Barking 22.

The visitors defended well but eventually ran out of numbers on the right and the full-back squeezed over.

They almost grabbed a fourth try moments later but didn’t have to wait long to collect the bonus point as replacement Dan Hawkes stormed over within a minute of taking the field.

Lowden grabbed his second in a carbon copy of his first before Sam Farmer completed the scoring in the final minute.

BIRMINGHAM & SOLIHULL: Hunt (Ford 77), Lowden, Evans, Connolly, Pons, Woodrow, Jolly (Hawkes 59), McCarthy, Radburn, Darkintis (Tau 77), Quarrie, Markham, Brightwell (Dunne 77), Preece, Earnshaw (Farmer 70).

BARKING: Ratford, Broughton, Henderson, Dodge, Hardy, Ashwin (Flannery 67), Parker, McIntyre (Jones 56), Wood, Mullins, Burns (Ambrose 40), Turner, Armstrong (Sinfield 67), Yellowlees, Davies (Reynolds 40).