By Caustic Sid
March 1 2004

Pertemps Bees travelled to the Causeway Stadium to earn some respect. Wasps said they wouldn't be taking them for granted but rested a number of players. Bees' record scoring winger, Nick Baxter had not scored for three months. David v. Goliath. Something was bound to give. It was the players' body language after the Bees went 19-6 down shortly before half-time that gave the game away. Wasps were busy coughing up much ball, as in recent weeks. Bees must have studied the videos of Rotherham's late rally and Quins' catching Wasps' much vaunted rush defence cold.

The Bees were beginning to find gaping holes in Wasps' midfield. A harmless-looking Bees scrum on Wasps' 10-metre line was spun down the line. A mispass put Luke Nabaro, in off his wing, clean through and he sucked in the remains of a tattered defence to leave that man Baxter to finish off the move of the match.

Although Mark Woodrow could not convert from the touchline their was a snap in the Bees step as they turned round only eight points in arrears. Wasps, on the other hand, had stuttered through the half not troubling the scorer for fully 25 minutes before finally shaking off some of their torpor, whilst Woodrow had kicked Bees into a 16th minute lead.

When Wasps scores did come there remained a telling lack of cohesiveness. John Rudd at last escpaed the Bees dogged defence and Peter Richards fashioned an awkward and slightly backward crossfield chip which Trevor Leota and Ian Clarke managed to control to put Mike Roberts in at the corner. Harvey Biljon slotted the extras.

Woodrow pulled Bees back to within a point before the first comedy moment allowed Wasps some relief. Wasps' forwards finally managed to pick and drive deep into the Bees 22 but eschewed a three-player overlap. George Skivington saved the move by charging down a desperately slow clearance kick. However, he lost his bearings in the goal area but fortunately for Wasps, Stuart Abbott had spotted the skyward trajectory of the ball and gathered it to touch down with the Bees defence still all at sea.

Biljon hit the far upright with his conversion but Wasps rumbled back and Skivington picked and drove for the line to stretch the lead to 13 points. Then, dramatically, the Bees rewrote the script. Baxter flew in for his score and the Bees' spirit never flagged.

Comedy moment number two came shortly after the restart. Woodrow chipped Wasps rush defence and two Wasps conspired to get in each others way, allowing Bees' replacement winger Aaron Takarangi to bag an unconverted try.

Although Ayoola Erinle managed to reprise his foxtrot to the line of a week ago Woodrow fancied his chances and made the most of them. Bees generated a powerful head of steam as Wasps' turnovers began to hurt. Three penalty goals later left the Bees one up with fifteen minutes to go.

Despite the introduction of several fresh Wasps, their cohesion disintegrated under some probing kicks. Even when Mark Denney gambled on a midfield interception and escaped he was still hauled down five metres shy of the line and Wasps' character drained away.

Woodrow and fullback, Dave Knight, cleared the Bees line. Wasps continued to creak, fumble and stumble. Comedy moment number three arrived. A nigh-on fifty metre dropped goal from Woodrow's boot sailed plum between the posts but none of the officials were sufficiently vigilant to see it.

Woodrow had last laugh, though, drilling a sixth penalty goal to steer the Bees onto the road to Newcastle and another cup-final at Kingston Park via, first, their clubhouse and the Beeb's Rugby Special programme tonight. Waspies applaud the Brum Bees for their historic cup giant killing act, wish them well for the semi-final and trust that the M40 was clear at sundown as the merry 500 went back to party on camera. Thanks for a legendary footballing lesson in pride and pratfalls!