A SECOND half comeback from Birmingham Bees denied Dudley Kingswinford a first away win of the season.

The viistors led 22-10 at the break thanks to Josh Watkins’ brilliant hat-trick and with the hosts reduced to 14 men after Rob Connolly was red carded for a punch, DK looked set fair.

But injuries to the pack and renewed pressure from Bees turned the 12 point lead into a three point deficit and DK then declined an opportunity to take a share of the spoils when they tapped a ran instead of kicking a penalty.

Bees had started strongly and took the lead on five minutes when strong forward play set up Oscar Hearth for a try converted by Jack Jolly.

But Gareth Bown put DK on the board with a penalty before Connolly’s sending-off devastated the home ranks.

DK had been awarded a penalty in their 22 and Matt Farrington attempted to tap and go but was impeded by Connolly, who threw in a huge left hook for good measure and was promptly given his marching orders.

The visitors now stormed forward and after five minutes pressure Stefan Shillingford broke the Bees line to send in Watkins for his first try, Bown converting to put them ahead.

Jolly levelled the scores for Bees after 32 minutes with a penalty but DK were still getting a lot of possession in the loose and good, quick three-quarter play after 35 minutes saw the ball spun out to Watkins who skinned the opposition cover from 40 metres out to score his second try. Bown almost scored a third DK try from an interception but was just brought down short of the line but in stoppage time DK did score again, after the Bees line had again been breached by skilful inter-passing to set up Watkins.

DK turned down two kickable opportunities early in the second half and Bees began to make headway, helped by a number of injuries to the DK lines.

Jolly kicked a 50th minute penalty and a try from Matt Long put the hosts right back in it at 22-18.

With momentum on their side and the numbers evened out by a yellow card for Joe Carpenter, the hosts forced their way ahead with eight minutes remaining when Steve Leach drove over from a scrum and Jolly converted.

With Carpenter returned, DK pushed hard in the final five minutes and turned down a chance to tie the game in stoppage time, opting for a penalty lineout catch and drive which failed.