No more errors, warns Russell Earnshaw
RUSSELL Earnshaw has warned his promotion-chasing Birmingham & Solihull team to beware another banana skin as Bees take the long journey to Southend tomorrow.
Although the Sharmans Cross outfit have won three consecutive matches, memories of their last defeat – an astonishing 41-12 upset at lowly Wharfedale – remain vivid with Earnshaw and he knows his side can’t afford another slip.
Bees have already lost twice this term and with league leaders Redruth eight points ahead in what is likely to be the only promotion place, they go to Essex knowing another reverse is simply inconceivable.
That doesn’t make it impossible though and having taken Stourbridge so close last Saturday the National Two strugglers will be intent on going one better against their illustrious visitors.
“Southend is a massive banana skin,” Earnshaw said. “I saw the DVD of their win over Blackheath in the second game of the season and if that’s not enough to shake any complacency out of our lads I don’t know what will be.
“But it won’t be like at Wharfedale where we did not have any of our big talkers, me, Scott Young, Mitch Culpin and Jim Jenner.
“We got behind in the game and self-destructed. We got behind against Blackheath a couple of weeks ago too but we had the self-belief and positivity to come back. A team only gets that by going through experiences with each other and growing together.”
Bees’ task will not be made any easier, however, by the absence of Jenner, who will miss the game with spasms in his neck.
That will bring former captain Ed Orgee back into the side in the place of the suspended Alex Davidson and afford Adam Clayton a start in the back row.
But with wins over Launceston, Blackheath and last week’s hammering of Westcombe Park under their belts Bees have every reason to be confident of sidestepping this weekend’s banana skin.
