Birmingham & Solihull 19 Rotherham Titans 29: Win sees Titans avoid drop

After punishing the Bees for yellow card offences eight days earlier at Clifton Lane, they did the same in yesterday's return, running in 19 points while the hosts were down on manpower for two crucial first-half sin-binnings.

Titans had nosed ahead with a Mike Whitehead penalty before the hosts hit back with a try from former Titan Rob Connolly, touching down in the corner after a good drive to the line. But Rotherham went back in front after big home lock Alex Davidson was carded for a ruck offence after 25 minutes. From the ensuing penalty, Bees infringed for a fourth time before referee Andrew Taylorson ran out of patience and awarded a penalty try.

Birmingham then briefly went down to 13 men, as they had done at Rotherham last week, when wing Simon Hunt was ordered to cool his heels for 10 minutes and Rotherham's response was to nail home two tries in the five minutes before the break.

Firstly, Andrew Henderson twisted and turned over the line after good work from Steve Swindall and Kevin Maggs and then Nick Buckley scored from Brad Hunt's pass to make it 24-5 at the interval.

After the break, Birmingham made a brighter start and pulled the try back when Anthony Elliot broke clear from halfway to score under the sticks and Simon Hunt's conversion cut the deficit to twelve.

But Titans made the game safe when Ryan Burrows thundered through from 20-metres to make it 29-12.

Bees had the final say when replacement Ed Binham crossed the whitewash but Rotherham had done enough.

Birmingham & Solihull: Foden, S Hunt, Mitchell, McLean, Elliot; Patston, Brown; Long, Philpott, Halavatau, Davidson, Noonan, Connolly, Earnshaw, Clayton. Replacements (all used): Sperando, Cox, Pitfield, Binham, Tomlinson, Petty, Preece.

Rotherham Titans: Hunt, Feeley, Maggs, Buckley, Henderson; Whitehead, Chivers; Voisey, Conroy, O'Donnell, Challinor, Burrows, Kleeberger, Du Plessis, Swindall. Replacements (all used): Prescott, Maycock, Hayter, Dickinson, Stimpson, Allen, West.

Referee: Mr A Taylorson (RFU).