Trailing by just 2 points at the break thanks to Saxons' indiscipline and the boot of Bees’ fly half Lee Chapman, the stage was set for an improbable repeat of Bees’ 2011-12 victory before a 2nd half hat-trick from winger Nathan Bressington killed off their challenge.

The post-match atmosphere was muted though by Hull Ionians’ win at Sheffield Tigers, meaning they are within a bonus point win over Caldy of clinching the National 2 North trophy. This would condemn the Saxons to a runners-up spot and home playoff on May 11th against the National 2 South runners up which will be either Henley or Worthing who play each other next Saturday.

After Chapman missed with an early penalty attempt, the Saxons were on the scoreboard quickly once Bees failed to secure lineout ball in their own 22. Following a couple of forward drives Sione Tu’ipolotu stepped inside a line defender, comprehensively wrong-footing the entire defence to score between the posts.

Bees struck back when the Saxons were penalised for hands in the ruck, Chapman’s boot narrowing the lead further when the Saxons transgressed again at a scrum near halfway. He narrowly missed with another attempt following an offside, but seized the lead with a monster drop goal return of a 22 dropout.

A Bees’ offence in the post-tackle was kicked for the corner and the Saxons went for a catch & drive, flanker Ejike Uzoigwe breaking from the base to score with a short range drive down the narrow side. Jamie Hearn again converted but Chapman was able to slot another penalty for hands in the ruck before the halftime whistle went with the score at 14-12.

With barely 5min gone in the 2nd half Will Hurrell forced a penalty for holding on in the tackle, his quick tap launching a move that saw Ben Barkley make big inroads down the left side before the ball was moved back right where Hurrell’s pass gave Bressington enough space to round the last defender and score in the corner.

Another fluffed Bees lineout and a stiffening breeze enabled Tu’ipolotu’s kick to secure a lineout deep in Bees’ territory, an athletic take by Ben Hughes saw the ball moved right then left before Tu’ipolotu’s floated miss pass was fed to Bressington who cruised round the cover to score the bonus point try, Hearn converting well from wide out.

The final score came from a neat training ground move off a scrum that saw White draw the last defender to put Bressington in for his 3rd try.

Coach Mike Umaga commented “We spoke with the squad about controlling the key areas of the game and the boys delivered well today. With the result from Ionians it was a bit anticlimactic and the likelihood is we’ll be back here in 2 weeks’ time for the play-off, but we’ve already got our heads round that. Credit to Bees they selected a team to combat us up front but as I’ve said before we are not a one trick pony, they never looked likely to penetrate our wide defences and our threequarters just had more firepower”.