Howe off as hosts edge fiery encounter

By BILL HOOPER

Redruth 29pts

Birmingham 25pts

Making a splash: Jack Simmons dives over to score for Redruth. Right: Harry O'Brien of Birmingham & Solihull fends off the tackle from Aaron Simmonds

PICTURES: Simon Bryant

REDRUTH did enough as they edged a bad-tempered encounter played in difficult conditions despite Brad Howe's sending off. Two tries from Jack Simmons, as well as scores for Loma Kivalu and Palepoi Nonu, was enough for the home side to scrape a 29-25 victory in Cornwall.

Redruth's director of rugby Nigel Hambly, while pleased with the win, was far from convinced by, and not too enamoured with, his side's performance.

“I thought it was a pretty ill-disciplined display. We got the five points, that's the good part, but we just keep making life hard for ourselves,” he said.

“When we exited we played some smart rugby but in these conditions we tried to run the ball, instead of booting the ball down the park and put ourselves under pressure.

“Some of the lads forget what we've looked to put in place at training – well that's not good enough for me and from that point of view it's disappointing.”

Bees kicked off in a torrential downpour with the pitch cutting up within minutes. Players were finding it difficult to keep their footing, whilst scrums slipped constantly.

Jack Jolly gave the Bees an early lead with a penalty, however Redruth struck back almost immediately when Simmons carved his way through the Bees defence to score the opening try, converted by Aaron Simmonds.

Jolly cut the deficit with his second penalty but Redruth edged further ahead when Kivalu finished off a catch-and-drive for the home side with Simmonds again on the money with the extras.

The Bees had some good pressure leading up to halftime and when Redruth were reduced to 14 men, with Nonu sent to the bin, they capitalised from a scrum near the Redruth line – being awarded a penalty try.

They went close again from a charged down clearance but were denied.

Redruth began the second half with a bang as Nonu, now returned, set up Simmons for his second try under the sticks, Simmonds again obliging with the conversion.

It looked as if Redruth had put the game to bed when they scored their fourth try from a catchand- drive with Nonu in amongst the forwards getting the touchdown.

But Bees launched a great attack which saw Corey Venus go in at the corner, with Jolly adding a fine touchline conversion.

Simmonds then kicked a penalty to make it 29-20 to Redruth before the fracas that saw Howe red-carded for the home side and Danny Wright yellowcarded for the Bees.

The visitors had the final say when Adam Nunney went over late on for an unconverted try.

Bees' head of rugby Pete Glackin said: “It was a game of two halves.

“We dominated territory in the first half but didn't make the best of it, whilst we didn't have that much in the second half but when we did we managed to get points.”