By Elliott Josypenko
August 23 2006

Pertemps Bees' new-look squad began their build-up to the new National One season in impressive style with a 34 -7 victory over a competitive Blackheath side in their opening pre-season friendly at Portway this afternoon. Pertemps Bees used the game to give all their pre-season recruits, as well as some trialists, valuable match time and the result was a cohesive and competitive contest which was won by five tries to one.
Pertemps played completely different sides in each half but the performance encouraged new head coach Steve Williams who took charge of the team for the first time in a match situation.
"It is a new squad of players and so we have tried to work on specific things in training so far instead of spreading ourselves too wide," said the former Wales lock.
"One of things we have worked on is to get the boys running hard and off-loading early and it was good to see that being put into practice today.
"Obviously, there are aspects of the game that need to be worked on. But this was our first game of the season and it was a very encouraging beginning.
"I was impressed with our fitness levels. We have worked hard on fitness during the summer and, with the exception of Simon Martin who should be fit to play against Bridgend next week, everyone was fit for this game.
"There were a lot of encouraging signs and I was very pleased with the performance."
Winger Kyle Palm opened the scoring with a well-crafted unconverted try after just eleven minutes and he was followed to the line by lock Dan Tuohy, one of the five players who have joined on-loan from Gloucester.
Tuohy gathered a loose ball after Blackheath lost a line-out close to half-way and showed his strength and pace by outstripping the cover defence for another unconverted try which gave Pertemps Bees a 10-0 interval lead.
A completely different side took the pitch for the second half, skippered by new captain Mark Cornwell, but there was no obvious disruption to the pattern of play.
Centre Adam Billig crossed for a try within three minutes of the re-start and fly-half Jon Higgins added the conversion. Blackheath's persistence was rewarded with a converted try nine minutes later which reduced the deficit to ten points.
But Pertemps Bees played with increasing fluency and penetration. Fiji international back-row Akapusi Qera, who arrived in England late on Friday night, showed no sign of jet-lag as he raced over unopposed for another uncoverted try.
Former Cardiff Blues winger Matt Nuthall also showed his paces by crossing midway through the second half for a try that Higgins improved and full-back Dave Knight rounded of the scoring after Nuthall made a break and Australian sevens fly-half Rod Petty, who also arrived in the Midlands late on Friday, chipped ahead.