National League Two favourites and full-time professionals Birmingham and Solihull put their young Stourbridge rivals in their place with a comprehensive home win.

A strong visiting contingent was present for the local derby and it was them who so nearly had the first cheer only for good work by Tom Richardson and Olli Grove to be thwarted by a stray pass.

However, with only four minutes on the clock the referee awarded a penalty against Stour and the reliable boot of Woodrow gave Bees a three point lead.

Three minutes later roles were reversed but Ally Bressington’s kick was wide and the game settled into a pattern that would continue throughout.

The speed and slight of hand from the pros was to give Bees more possession than they knew what to do with and this may have produced a “cricket score” had they not made so many handling mistakes.

Former Stourbridge centre Cameron Mitchell was, perhaps, the biggest culprit with three in first half, alone. However, he did appease his team mates when the ball squirted out of a scrummage and he had the simple task of touching down under the posts. Woodrow converted and it was 10-0. Stour then found themselves down to 14 men when Adam Billig was carded for a trip. Chris Rowlands was brought on for back row turned prop, Mark George but Bees failed to capitalise on this. When Richardson found himself with the ball he cleverly chipped it into space and young Grove gathered it up and scythed past two defenders to score his debut league try. Bressington’s conversion gave the half time score some respectability at 10-7.

Three minutes into the second-half Bees suddenly realised Stour were still a man down and a telling break and lack of defence gave Bees Heist a try in the right corner. Woodrow’s kick was inch perfect from the touch line and it was now 17-7. Bees scored again on the 50 minute mark when Scott Young got a well-deserved try, which was converted.

Time and again, penalties were awarded to the home side but the Stour defence held strong, inspite of some mighty scrummaging by a dominant Bees pack.

After 67 minutes Tom Jordan received a nasty blow and had to leave the field with concussion and with all the substitutions used had to play the final quarter with only 14 men.

A repeat try and conversion by Heist and Woodrow secured Bees a bonus point and the game was all but over, at 31-7.

However, the visitors had some surprises up their sleeves and finally started to get some quick and clean possession. They threatened the Bees on several occasions finally being rewarded with a try. Another bit of vision by Richardson gave a grub kick into the hands of Billig who used his speed and experience to crash over the line. Bressington made the score tick over again and the score remained at 31-14 until the 90th minute of play and referee’s whistle.

SEE PICTURES FROM THE GAME.