The Bees 43

Hull Ionians 20

Two of the main worries for the Bees in the close season must have been finding adequate replacements for retired fly half Richard Petyt and winger Jeremy Marr who has gone to Leeds.

But on the evidence of this superb team performance they need worry no more - the answers have come from within.

The way half back Steve Brimacombe and winger Dewi Allen played the main problem now seems to have transferred to keeping the first team squad injury free - a problem that caught up with them in the closing months of last season.

One interested spectator on Saturday was Petyt himself, and he was full of praise afterwards for 19-year-old Brim-acombe's display.

"I thought he had an excellent game," said the former Bees playmaker.

"He made good decisions, got the side moving forwards, passed it wide at the right times, kicked at the right times and made his kicks for touch.

"Steve had a very solid game and also made some nice breaks. His only obvious errors were missing two kicks at goal."

Petyt, who had also watched the Bees' pre-season home match against Edinburgh Academicals, said: "I am enjoying my retirement and am not missing rugby yet, although I am sure I will at some stage.

"But if the Bees had gone down badly part of me would have thought about making a comeback. However, the way Steve is playing there is no reason for me to do so."

Ionians finished runners-up to promoted Tynedale last season in North Division one and also reached the NPI Cup final, defeating the Bees in the fourth round at Aire View.

And the great thing about them is that they are always there or thereabouts in the league shake-up at the end of season, which must give the Bees added confidence.

Admittedly the Bees did lose 43-9 at Darlington Mowden Park in their first league match, but it could be that the North Easterners, who have seven full-time players, will do that to every side this season as they continue their march up the divisions.

Tries came from centre Steve McManus, who scored two and later left the field with concussion, lock Ben Grange, full back Mark Coultas, prop Richard Thomas, right winger Asa Firth and Brimacombe, who added four conversions.

Ionians replied with tries by flanker Kevin Bates and prop John Buddington, fly half Chris Windas adding a penalty and a conversion.

The match became fractious in the second half and there were three sin-binnings - No 8 Howard Greenwood and No 4s Andy Murphy for Bees and Steve Bates for Ionians. The latter two came after a nasty tackle on Bees centre Tim Marlow, who had to be helped from the field.