BIRMINGHAM and Solihull Hornets secured an impressive 46-19 victory against a strong Camp Hill 3rds side.
The second team of Birmingham and Solihull Bees, and a few players from Harborne RFC, handed valuable minutes to a number of players returning from injuries and without game time at Portway.
The Hornets, playing as a scratch team, took the lead on 11 minutes as Mikey Essex burst over the line to open the scoring with the game’s first try.
Camp Hill responded with an unconverted try of their own to bring the scores level on the quarter-hour mark.
However, Hornets captain Shaun Pollard-Jenkins released Callum McLynskey to touch down and restore the home side’s lead.
From the restart, the Hornets struck again as Oisin Hollywood sprinted in from 80-metres out to score under the posts before converting his own try.
Camp Hill scored their second try in the corner to close the gap to five points before Andy Warrilow scored out wide for the Hornets to send the home side into the break with a 10-point lead.
The Hornets made a number of changes during the interval and picked up where they left off as Gabe Lupoli touched down under the posts and Hollywood kicked the extras.
And the home side stretched their lead when Hollywood scooped up another loose ball and weaved his way past several Camp Hill defenders to score his second try of the game from range.
Hornets skipper Pollard-Jenkins then set up Ali Cook to score a try on his return to action from a broken leg sustained in April with Hollywood converting.
Hollywood completed his hat-trick late on before Camp Hill scored the game’s final try following a flowing team move.
Hornets captain, Pollard-Jenkins, said: “It was an excellent workout for both teams, delighted to see team mate Ali Cook return after his serious leg break back in April, it will be great to see him back in first team action soon.
“Congratulations to new player Oisin on his hat-trick and lighting pace, to all the support team who managed to put the game on, the pitch was perfect and we hope to play a return fixture against Camp Hill in November.
“Again a huge thank you to them for coming across and playing on a day of no fixtures, and the referee – without Vince we would have had no game.”
