Bees fail to make most of territory while Morley drop to the bottom

The victory keeps the home side in second spot in the division, but Whitcombe will surely be disappointed his side did not return with four league points.

The Bees had enough ball and enough chances to have returned with a win and were on top for long periods of the game.

However, key turnovers gifted the home side two of their tries and the Wagon Lane men spurned a couple of glorious chances to score.

The pack, which is usually very efficient close to the goalline, failed to convert anything from two five metre line outs and stand-off Giles Hetherington was guilty of missing one golden opportunity as he went for the line himself as two team-mates offered an overlap.

For the second week in a row the Bees also gave away a crucial interception as a wayward pass from Steve Brimacombe was snapped up by a Birkenhead player and returned for a five pointer.

The home side opened the brighter, but as the visitors settled into their game, it was gradually the Bees who took the upper hand.

Martyn Mitchell put in a tremendous shift from blindside flanker as the Bees pack won enough ball to keep the visitors on top.

It took 33 minutes for the Bees to turn pressure into points as Grant Litt crossed.

Gavin Stead could not add the extra points but within three minutes Robert Houliston had brought the home side level.

Stead then made amends for his earlier miss with a penalty.

In an eight-minute period after half-time the home side added two scores from Greg Hughes and Freeman Payne to move nine points in front, with Dave Hall improving one score.

Hall hit the post with another kick from right in front of the uprights and it was this miss which ultimately allowed the visitors to stay within seven points to claim the losing bonus point.

With half an hour to play the Bees must have believed that they could have sneaked the win, but could only add a single penalty from Stead on 67 minutes.

Waterloo 31 Morley 22

MORLEY saw a second successive victory snatched from their grasp in the last eight minutes at Waterloo.

The visitors led 5-3 early on with a try by stand-off Greg Moore. Waterloo added a penalty and a converted try before half-time to lead 13-8, Simon Bradshaw keeping his side in touch with a penalty.

Waterloo added three points straight after the restart, only for Morley to pull back within a point, outside centre Bradley Marshall touching down after a rampaging run down the left, winger Bradshaw converting from the touchline.

Waterloo went six points clear with a try but Morley snatched the lead when Bradshaw broke away to score, converting his own try to make it 22-21.

However, minutes later a penalty swung the advantage back in the hosts’ favour.

With Morley pushing forward looking for a score, Waterloo broke from halfway to round off the scoring, the last action of the game coming from a successful conversion.

Morley remain bottom.