Flight of the bumblebee.....

Britain and Ireland have 25 native species of bumblebee, although 3 species have already become nationally extinct and a further 5 are now designated UK BAP species (UK Biodiversity Action Plan).

But they are such fun creatures.

Bumblebees are indeed fascinating and important insects. They live in annual colonies, feeding on nectar and pollen and they provide an important pollination service for many of our fruit and vegetable crops, as well as wild flowers.

According to 20th century folklore, the laws of aerodynamics prove that the bumblebee should be incapable of flight, as it does not have the capacity (in terms of wing size or beat per second) to achieve flight with the degree of wing loading necessary. Not being aware of scientists 'proving' it cannot fly, the bumblebee succeeds under "the power of its own arrogance".

Braintree Town visited the Recreation Ground last Saturday…..the Shots eased past them, and into the Quarter Finals of the FA Trophy.

A competent performance against a team clearly from a league lower. Superior fitness and the performance of two players, in particular, the difference between the sides.

Ben Harding has been the outstanding player of the season…..and his goal against Braintree was one for my ‘top three all time strikes’ seen at the Rec.

Simply brilliant…..

The second player to turn Braintree inside out was Danny Hylton….a youngster who has spent most of the season warming the bench or playing in the reserves. He first came to my attention at Burton, back in October, when he replaced a lacklustre Jonny Dixon in a two nil defeat. His tenacity unsettling a strong Albion defence, untroubled by the lightweight Dixon.

And now with Dixon signing for Brighton, Hylton has been given a chance to shine…..and he has grasped the opportunity with youthful exuberance.

Danny doesn’t really look the part. Ungainly gait, but deceptively quick. An ability to get behind defenders….something Dixon could never do. Always looking to find space. A first goal will be followed by many more.

Hylton may just succeed under the power of his own arrogance….

And finally a quick postscript to Peter Hain….

Peter, after more than ten years of a New Labour Government, are things still so bad in your Neath Constituency that the only person you can find capable of operating e-mails, and using a mobile phone is your 80-year-old mother. Were you not the Work and Pensions Secretary before falling…..