Birmingham Bulldogs Rugby League FC welcomed back Mark Court and Mike Tate to the side after some absence for the trip to Leicester Phoenix, but any thoughts Brum might have held about a repeat of the 80-0 drubbing they handed out earlier in the season were soon dispelled in a thoroughly absorbing all-out attacking game that yielded no fewer than 17 tries.

Bulldogs defended well in the opening minutes and struck first:  a home pass went into touch and from the scrum, second row Chris “Barney” Balmforth came into the line and went over in the left corner for a try. A minute later, left wing Danny Bancroft kicked a penalty goal when Phoenix were offside at the play-the-ball.

But Birmingham then lost possession and from the scrum full back Jamie Howe came into the line to break through and cross by the posts for a try which he converted himself to level it at 6-6. Brum then responded in like fashion as full back Adam Smith just broke clear of his tacklers to go the line, Bancroft goaling. Back came Leicester again, as winger Jake Harmer broke down the right flank cutting in the posts to give Howe a simple goal kick to level it again at 12-12.

But the rest of the half was decisively Bulldogs’: in very much a repeat of his earlier score, Balmforth was on the end of good right to left handling for his second try, well goaled by Bancroft.  Then good handling and a well-timed pass from Parker enabled scrum half Mark Court to sidestep nimbly to the posts (goal Bancroft)

Finally a great break by prop Homer saw him put Smith away for the latter’s second try, Bancroft goaling well on the stroke of half time.

 HT:   Leicester Phoenix 12pts Birmingham Bulldogs 30

Leicester needed to score quickly to get back into contention at the start of the second half and, in sixteen minutes they wiped out Brum’s lead: Howe kicked ahead and won the race to touch down, adding the goal himself; then, after the visitors’ Tate had been carried off injured, another kick and chase saw Alan Clapham make the touch down which was goaled by scrum half Darren Johnson who then himself added a try and conversion. 30-all, and the game looked to be Leicester’s for the taking.

Then one of those moments that can seem to turn a game: Leicester allowed the restart to bounce into touch, and the resultant scrum and attacking set ended with a bulldozing run by prop Simon Homer which took home over for a try (goal Bancroft). Straight from the restart, Balmforth broke through and went to his favoured left corner to complete his hat trick. Homer then posted his second try with another thunderous run to take Brum out to 44-30.

Phoenix, though, still had plenty to say and took advantage of two utterly pointless penalty concessions by the visitors to done downfield where loose forward Carl Harris found a gap to cross, Howe goaling.

But the defensive stint was taking its toll on the home side and tries from hooker James “Topper” Topham, going over from acting half back, Bancroft, who got to Abel’s neat grubber kick and from left centre Dan Simpson who finally managed to shake off his tacklers to go over the line, took Bulldogs home in some style.

In a great team effort, Balmforth and Homer tied for man-of-the match, loose forward Harper again showed up well, and right centre Honey ran tirelessly from first to last.