Birmingham Bulldogs Rugby League FC gained more than adequate recompense for a defeat away to Gloucestershire Warriors early last month. The visitors were only able to muster nine players but commendably, and sportingly, chose to travel rather than cry off. Consequently, a fully manned if not quite full strength Brum side was able to rack up a big score.
Two tries in the opening eight minutes from wingers Adam Walker and, Mike Jones, back after a long lay off, set the pattern. Both scores where converted by scrum half Danny Bancroft who then added a further six with a converted try of his own.
<*> In the next ten minutes two more tries for Walker brought him a hat trick; Bancroft improved both scores.
Warriors were performing bravely in attempting to stem the tide but were unable to prevent further scores from second row Lea Ross (goal Bancroft) and sub winger Jermaine Bernard, from a kick ahead by Bancroft.
H.T. Birmingham Bulldogs 40pts Gloucestershire Warriors 0
A brace of tries in the opening four minutes of the second half from elusive centre Clinton Tull both well converted by Bancroft took Birmingham past the 50-point mark.
Bulldogs then came under some pressure deep in their own half but a loose pass by the visitors was snapped up by the alert Bernard who ran some 80 –odd metres to touch down between the posts, Bancroft goaling.
But Warriors continued to battle away and gained a deserved score when, after an up and under had been regathered, good handling put Simon Brown over in the left corner, Matt Elston adding a fine conversion from the touch line.
Glos, though were mightily tired at this stage and Bancroft found space to chip ahead and regather and sprint up the slope for a try which he goaled.
Just after the hour mark an eye injury to a Gloucester player threatened to see the match declared a default; to their great credit the Gloucester boys agreed to five more minutes so that the score could stand. In this brief period sub left winger Pete Fulthorpe stepped inside his marker and went to the posts for a try which Bancroft goaled to complete the scoring.
Hardly the most satisfying of victories but at least welcome for Brum in that it enabled them to shake off some of the previous weeks disappointment after the defeat by Coventry, and keeps them in contention for a play-off place.
Next week Bulldogs travel to Bristol for what seems likely to be a stiff test of their capabilities.
