Bulldogs’ Pace wins the Day

Birmingham Bulldogs Rugby League FC ultimately had too much pace against a grafting Leamington Royals side. ‘Dogs recorded their fifth league victory and kept their 100 per cent record intact.
It took Brum just four minutes to open their account, a drive by Taplin setting up a position from which second rower Toby Davies drove over for a try; Beaty’s conversion attempt hit a post.
But Royals responded in determined fashion; after one attack had been halted by a good tackle from Williams, a fine break up the right flank by Butler saw him pass inside to Greg Swinburne who crossed close to the posts, to give scrum half Mark Finch a straightforward conversion to put his side ahead 6-4.
That, though, was as good as it got score wise for Leamington. Bulldogs survived another attack then regained a lead they were not to lose as Davies took an assist from McLeod to score his second try, goaled by Lewis Beaty. Loose forward Luke Taplin, in commanding form, burst through to touchdown (goal Beaty).
A blow for Birmingham as Kearns had to leave the field with a leg injury, but Bulldogs were now running hot and a scorching break by Mann led to a try for centre Dan McLeod, Beaty’s goal completing the scoring fro the half.
HT: Birmingham Bulldogs 22 Pts, Leamington Royals 6

Royals began the second half seeking to redress the balance, and cut the gap to ten points with a try from Simon Gardner goaled by Finch.
Brum stepped up a gear and began to exploit errors by the visitors. A couple of neat sidesteps from Beaty saw him fed debutant right winger Zach Mann who stormed up the right flank before cutting in to the posts for a try that Beaty goaled to make to make the score 28-12.
Bulldogs piled on the pressure: livewire full back Joe Williams broke through some 20 metres out and won a desperate race to the line for a fine solo score (goal Beaty); Davies rounded off a tap penalty move to crash over for his hat-trick try, well goaled by Beaty. Finally McLeod produced a near carbon copy of Williams’s earlier score with an 80-metre run up the centre of the field, crossing between the posts for a try that he converted himself to round off the scoring.

It was a good, though not flawless display by Brum. Luke Taplin took the hosts’ man-of-he-match award, with Williams and Davies in contention. Hendricks was MOTM for Royals

Bulldogs now face the “moment of truth” in their next fixture at home to Northampton Demons on Saturday [June 14] at 2:30 pm. Demons have also won all five of their opening league fixtures to date, so something will have to give.

Summary: Birmingham Bulldogs 46,
Birmingham: T. T.Davies 3, L.Tarpin, D.McLeod 2, Mann, Williams
G. L.Beaty 6, D.McLeod
Leamington: T: G.Swinburne, S.Gardner
G: M.Finch 2