Hornets 57 Bournville 17

Bournville had a fleeting glimpse of a first away win of the season before a second-half collapse saw them slump to another heavy defeat on the road at Hutton Moor Road.

When Joe Jenkins crossed for an unconverted try three minutes into the second-half, Bourns were just three points adrift and Hornets were down to 13 men with two forwards in the sin bin.

Another quick try or two looked likely to win the game but it was Hornets who overcame their numerical inferiority to score twice in three minutes and once they were back to a full complement they stretched away for an easy win, ending up with ten tries.

This is a ground where Bournville have won before and taken a losing bonus point from two other visits but there was nothing to console them on the long trip back up the M5 on this occasion.

Bourns twice came close to getting a fourth try, first when Adam Collingwood was adjudged to have been held up over the line, then when the referee spotted an obstruction at a driving lineout.

The margin and manner of defeat were disappointing and there were few elements of Bourns’ game which worked effectively in a shapeless performance.

The lineout generally functioned well although the lapses came at crucial stages of the game. Dropped passes and panicky kicking relieved pressure and Hornets were quick to apply the punishment with wing Josh Sheppard scoring a hat-trick of tries in a nine minutes spell late in the second-half.

Bourns’ work at the re-starts at both ends of the pitch left much to be desired with the failure to secure the kick-off allowing Hornets to build early pressure with number eight Cory Baker breaking some weak tackling to get the opening try after three minutes.

A dropped pass in midfield then  cost Bourns a promising attacking opportunity and Hornets were quick to transfer the pressure with centre Adam Francis going over from close range.

When Bourns did manage to retain possession they looked dangerous and a sustained attack saw right wing Cam Smith cross out wide.

Hornets hit back with a try from full-back Charlie Carter after Bourns were heavily penalised in their 22 but momentum swung in favour of the visitors – albeit briefly – when Baker and lock Tommy Bailey were yellow-carded in quick succession. Bailey’s offence also gave Bourns a penalty try which pulled them to within seven points at the break.

The first eight minutes of the second-half were always likely to be decisive and so it proved, but not in the way that Bourns hoped. Jenkins’ try, after another sustained attack, gave them the perfect start but it then went horribly wrong.

Full-back Sam Clarke had a clearance kick charged down which was then knocked on and despite being down to 13, Hornets won the scrum and had the patience to create enough pressure for prop Ash Lockwood to drive over.

Hornets were still a man light when they hoofed a free kick awarded just inside their own half downfield, Bourns failed to gather the bouncing ball and Baker went over his second try.

The tries came thick and fast after that with Sonny Davis crossing before Sheppard’s quickfire hat-trick embellished Hornets’ win.