Match day and a local derby, the crowd starts to assemble before the alter of Sharmans Cross.

Better make sure the posts stay up today.

With the press box on top of the local pigeon fancier's loft Pertemps Bees looked well prepared

Many Worcester fans gathered outside the main bar by the temporary scout tent, sorry marquee.

Three full buses arrived from Sixways with hundreds travelling by car.

This was more like a Sixways game then up here in Solihull

Wherever you looked the Gold & Blue of Warriors supporters filled your vision.

YES, the supporters were here in big, big numbers a fantastic turnout.

Everyone take a bow and be there next week at Sixways

The two big boys get in some warm up jumps at the line.

This is where a game is controlled from. You have to win all your own ball and steal a few of the opposition.

Someone needs to tell these two not to take ALL the opposition's ball, a great display from Mark Gabey and Craig Gillies

All the Bees turned out in their team training strip apart from our old friend Jim Jenner.

Who stood out in his bright red sweat shirt.

The biggest impression all day!!

The ultimate in disruptive techniques, turn the power off to the dressing room, have the grounds man mark out the lines just as you kick-off.

The guy deserves a golden cap because he was not going to come off until the job was completed.

Eventually he was persuaded to leave the field for a well earned cup of coffee.

The Bees got the game underway and were immediately on the attack with some well constructed plays, forcing The Warriors to defend in depth.

As we all now know this Warriors defence is made of stern stuff and held the Bees back comfortably.

It was soon time to see the first Worcester attack, again it came from the pack as they drove the Bees back into their own half, with Mark Gabey and Craig Gillies doing sterling work on their feet!!

Then we saw the first incisive break from that speedster Mark Gabey, sidestepping three players (well running through them), drawing the fullback and chipping over him. "Sprinting" round him, with the ball just beating him to touch 3 meters out.

The whole back line just stood in amazement at these silken skills, what next they thought maybe a dummy scissors with a loop around, who knows.

However the pressure was now on and it never came off until the final whistle

Bees defended the line but only just, as Gavin Pfister, once again in sparkling form, nearly got through to charge down the ball.

The ball was out on the 10 meter line. Worcester in the form of the giant lock Craig Gillies took the ball easily.

Bees conceded a penalty in their desire to stop The Warriors recycling the ball.

Only one option here, in the corner for a 5 meter lineout

The first one was sublimely taken by Craig and on came the power.

The drive was illegally stopped and advantage given to the Warriors.

The rolling maul was continued but was stopped over the line. Worcester took the option of a scrum.

Once again they drove the Bees backwards, with Drew Hickey coming off to drive to the line, once again it was held up on the line.

Only this time it was spun wide and Hayes coming in on a great angle scythed through the Bees defence to score under the posts

The ball was kept tight to test out the power and resolve of these buzzing Bees.

They defended well almost stopping the forward movement in their tracks.

But the power and skill of these  Worcester forwards drove the ball deep into Bees' territory

As the pressure continued to mount from some intense forward play from The Warriors 8.However the best chance went to Hayes, who cut back inside, straight through the Bees defence.

He was away and clear, but the hamstring injury received in training on the previous Friday made it impossible for him to run the distance.

With no support around him he decided to punt for Wes Davies to run onto. However it was too straight and strong going over the dead ball line. Back for a scrum, a chance gone begging.

By now it was all Worcester with The Bees having to live off scraps at the main table. Craig Gillies and Mark Gabey were in total control of the lineouts.

Craig was in superb form taking ball from the Bees' line on almost every one of their throw ins.

With all this domination you would have expected the scoreline to be rattling along.

The reason it was not was down to some great defence in the Birmingham midfield.

They were knocking down their opposite numbers with alarming regularity.

The long ball from Brown was not as effective as in other games mainly due to the ground conditions slowing down the players running onto the ball and once again great defence from The Bees.

It is obvious why they are third in the league with the second best defensive record. The half closed with no further score Pertemps

Bees 0 : 7 Worcester Warriors

The second half set off at a much better pace with Worcester surging into the Bees' 22. Several promising attacks were brought up short once again by the Bees midfield and backrow defence.

On had come Neil Mason for the injured Gavin Pfister, once again suffering from a shoulder problem. Neil has tremendous physical strength and presence, ripping the ball away from defenders, causing them to infringe.

Two penalties were quickly conceded, Tommy Hayes converting one then having to leave the field with hamstring problems, being replaced by the dynamic Gary Trueman. James Brown converting the second penalty.

Taking the score to Bees 0 : 13 The Warriors

All the action was now in the Bees' half of the field, but The Warriors once again could not find that final break to get over the line to score. 4 times they were stopped just short, surely only time would tell. Finally Daren O'Leary who was running the Bees defence ragged set up a great burst through the defensive line, continued by Wes Davies who slipped a sweet ball to Ben Hinshelwood, storming over the Bees line. The try was unconverted

Pertemps Bees 0 : 18 The Warriors

The game continued with Worcester in total domination over the Bees.

Not once did the Bees look capable of creating a scoring opportunity.

The crowd full of hundreds of Worcester supporters were baying for the avalanche of expected tries

Well they did not come.

Not through lack of effort but from great defence and an inability to break down a defence under pressure.

Worcester were constantly being drawn in to attack in a frenetic fashion rather than a controlled decisive manner

The game came to an end with Worcester once again on the attack and looking good for the third try