Just like the lion in the Wizard of Oz, the Bees have found their heart.

Some were asking questions of their ability - and particularly their finishing - when things came to the crunch after they had lost three matches in five weeks by a converted try or less.

And when an interception try put them 19-7 behind just before half-time in this third-round Intermediate Cup tie and they were reduced to six forwards for ten minutes in the second half, the critics were sharpening their knives again.

But, in an amazing match which had two dismissals, four sin-binnings and five tries for Bees right winger Asa Firth, the Bees ran in five second-half tries to finish a lop-sided 16 points ahead.

Though a crowd of just short of 300 might have complained about some of the decisions of referee Calum Fraser, they surely couldn't complain about entertainment value for the princely sum of £3.

"We were very positive at half-time," revealed Bees skipper Steve McManus, "and weren't going to alter our game-plan.

"The match could have gone away from us if Cleckheaton had scored first in the second half, but we were determined to throw the ball about and keep them under pressure. We found our heart, and team character is something we have been striving for in the past few weeks."

Cleckheaton - semi-finalists last season and surely destined to be in the Bees' division next season - could well have won the match if they had scored early in the second half, but they didn't, and McManus added: "Defence is something we have worked very hard on in training.

"Phil Larder came to see us last year and instilled some very strong discipline in our defence, and it has paid off."

Cleckheaton prop Neil Gillan said: "I don't think the scoreline reflected the game as a whole. They got a couple of late scores which made it look more one-sided than it was. It took us 15 minutes to get going, but then we adapted and played very well.

"But the turning point was the start of the second half when we bombarded their line. If we had scored then we would have won the game, but we took some wrong options and they held us out."

Bees prop Mark Heap (taking an opponent out at a line-out) and Cleckheaton centre John Bentley (shoulder charge) were sin-binned in the first half, and sent off in the second half for punching in an incident where Bees hooker Peter Scott (retaliation) was also yellow-carded.

Bees centre Steve Brimacombe was also sin-binned in the second half for a late tackle. But the sendings-off were more justified than the yellow cards.

Star of the match was undoubtedly Firth, who scored two tries in five second-half minutes to turn the match.

Scrum half Ben Greaves got their other try and fly half Matt Booth converted all six.

Cleckheaton's tries came from No 8 Oliver Ackroyd, flanker Matt Terry, replacement winger Jonathan Ward and lock Dave Ingham, full back Alex Green converting three.