Midlands 1 West

Banbury Bulls head coach Grant Holmes said his players were at an all-time low following their 107-0 home defeat to second-placed Sutton Coldfield.

Bulls lost Pete Papenfus, skipper Eddie Phillips and Richard Jeyes to injuries in the opening 30 minutes, then had to play the final half hour with 14 men after Sam Boyle dislocated a shoulder.

Banbury have looked destined for relegation for some time, but defeat was still hard to swallow.

Holmes said: “We knew that this was going to be a tough assignment, but never in our wildest dreams did we think that we would be on the end of such an emphatic scoreline.

“The guys we-re understandably really do-wn in the dressing room after the game.

“But we have to get over this performance and concentrate on the tasks ahead of us.

“To have so many of our first choice players out was hard enough, but even several of our fringe players were not available so we went into the match with a very under-strength pack.

“The result would not have been any different had we been able to put out a near full strength side, but the scoreline would have been much more respectable.”

As well as recalling Jeyes for his first match of the season, Banbury gave a debut to colt Tony Jones in a pack featuring just three first-team regulars.

Sutton Coldfield, who have lost just once all campaign, bagged 17 tries, with wing Nathan Burchell scoring five.

It was 40-0 at the break, while nine tries came after Boyle’s injury.

Sutton centre Alex White grabbed a hat-trick, with full back Josh Groom, wing Dave Edwards, scrum half Luke Ward and No 8 Dean Harper adding try doubles.

Fly half Dan Poulton landed 11 conversions and a try in a 27-point haul.

Holmes added: “There were one or two players who can come away from the game with their reputations in tact.

“They battled hard throughout the entire game and at times on their own as their teammates failed to fulfil their end of the bargain.”

“As a squad, to fulfil our desire to play rugby season after season at this level instead of yo-yoing up and down the leagues we must make a far greater commitment to the cause.”