Late penalty try fits Bill for victors

■By MIKE BROWN

Billingham…………..27

Hull Ionians ……….. 12

BILLINGHAM had just a little too much for their visitors as they secured the win.

But Hull Ionians started brightly as they ran the ball back from a Foreman kick.

Billingham infringed at the ruck and Ionians chose to kick to the corner, and from a drive forward, Hudson reaped the rewards.

Billingham came back into the game when Foreman kicked two penalties, before Husband found Dixon who barged over a defender before running 22 metres to score.

Ionians tried to steady the ship as they used their forwards to hit the ball up, but a clever rip of the ball by Wilson saw him run in from 30 metres.

But they hit back when a deft Smith kick behind the Billingham defence saw Minikin nip through to score and add his conversion.

The rain kept coming as Billingham drove forward. Walton made a break but was tackled and the referee penalised Ionians for a high tackle. Husband’s quick tap was stopped by an Ionians defender who hadn’t retreated 10 metres, resulting in a penalty try.

Ionians grew frustrated as handling errors halted their attack, and Billingham managed the conditions better to keep the visitors at bay.