Barnes good-ish, OE’s very good: 4 tries (2 in each 1/2) to 8 (6 in 1st)

- 3 of Barnes' tries came from line-out drives, the last one from a very good short chip through the line. Of Elthamians’ other tries 1 came from a very good lateral kick, 1 from a Barnes' error while attacking, 1 from running a penalty wide. The first half score was 10 - 36; that of the 2nd, 17 -14. Perhaps the visitors eased off after 6 tries in the 1st but the wind did make a difference.

The visitors kicked off with the advantage of the wind and Barnes returned it with an up-and-under then forced the first error to get a put-in 17 metres into the opposition half. Three recycles after the scrum they got the first penalty at the 22 after 2 minutes and the fullback kicked the points. The restart didn't go 10 metres; after the scrum back at halfway Barnes went blind then kicked to touch 16 metres out. From their line-out Elthamians cleared to touch 6 metres from halfway. Barnes went wide from the second line-out and made good ground at centre to the 22 then recycled 6 times close before being turned over. The opposition fullback Brown then broke through the line and ran much of the way before passing to wing Lespierre, who with no opposition, went over wide out at 6 minutes. The conversion missed.

Three kicks followed the restart; Barnes kept the ball for a few phases before launching an up-and-under. Elthamians dealt with that and kept the ball for 5 phases to get a penalty 2 metres inside their half. The kick took them to their opponents' 22 and from the line-out they released close then recycled once to Brown, having come in at centre, and he ran to the line after 10 minutes. The conversion kick hit a post and stayed out.

Two kicks followed the restart; the visitors chipped through after recycling twice. Barnes' fullback cleared to touch then the ci-devants Old Boys took a quick line-out and kicked well into the 22. Barnes had to clear to touch and only to 10 metres out. A drive from the line-out was stopped by the defence and after Elthamians recycled to centre they were penalised 8 metres out and sent 10 more metres back. The kick didn't gain a lot of ground and the line-out was 30 metres out. From it Barnes recycled 3 times before launching an up-and-under; the opposition got the ball and sent the ball wide making ground then after 2 recycles Brown was put through a hole to go over wide out after 16 minutes. A very good conversion by fly-half White followed making the score 3 - 17.

Elthamians kicked back the restart and the ball went into touch at the opposition 10 metre line off a Barnes' player. The line-out was stolen but the ball quickly regained by the visitors after an error. They were turned over after the first recycle and soon after penalised. The kick, again not far, took Barnes to the opposition 10 metre line. This line-out was stolen and Elthamians put together 6 phases before the opposition were penalised for a high tackle at halfway. The kick took the visitors to 26 metres out and from the line-out they went wide and varied recycling without advancing to get the next scrum put-in. From it they released with Lespierre coming in in midfield and sending centre Golledge to the posts after 23 minutes. White added.

The visitors secured the restart then passed forward; the scrum was 24 metres out and Barnes went wide from it. After a couple of recycles the defence was penalised at the 22. The kick went into touch 8 metres out; the pack drove from the line-out and over with hooker Kopra on the ball at 28 minutes. A very good conversion by the fullback followed.

Two errors dealing with the restart gave the visitors a penalty 17 metres into the opposition half. The kick took them to 12 metres out and when their drive was held they released to centre. They recycled twice then over-complication gave a put-into the defence at the same distance. Under pressure the ball came out at the side of the scrum and the visitors got it. After 2 recycles the ball was judged unplayable at a ruck and Elthamians got a put-in 16 metres out. After a no. 8 pick-up and 2 recycles an excellent lateral chip went to wing Roberts who touched down near the corner at 33 minutes. For a second time White's kick hit a post and stayed out.

Elthamians set up a maul after receiving the restart and that was penalised. The kick took Barnes to 9 metres out; the line-out was stolen. After an up-and-under the visitors were penalised 15 metres inside their half. Barnes ran the ball wide to get a penalty at the 22 and kicked for a line-out 5 metres out. A second line-out was stolen and Elthamians launched an up-and-under. Barnes' wing Martey ran the ball back to less than 10 metres out and passed; in two minds a Barnes' player who had the ball let it slip and Lespierre snapped it up and ran all the way to the other posts at 38 minutes. White added. That probably cost Barnes at least 12 points as they had a good scoring chance wide out before the error; the score was now 10 - 36. The visitors cleared the restart to touch at their 10 metres. From the line-out Barnes went wide bring the fullback into the line and under no pressure a good pass was dropped in midfield before the halftime whistle.

The second half restart went into touch 20 metres inside the visitors' half. After their line-out they broke blind and with one pass sent scrumhalf Claxton all the way, almost, to the opposition line. He was caught by Martey and Barnes got a scrum 5 metres from their line. From that they cleared to touch well to 14 metres into the other half then stole the line-out. Soon after they got a penalty and ran it with 3 open phases to get close to the corner where the visitors got the next put-in. From that they quickly broke out with 2 breaks within 3 phases to get to the other 22 where the defence was penalised. Elthamians ran the penalty to get a scrum 16 metres out, after which they recycled mostly close 7 times before kicking over the defenders. Barnes got the ball and a penalty 5 metres out; they kicked to touch 25 metres out. From the line-out they soon sent an up-and-under to touch at the opposition 22. From their line-out the soi-disants Old Boys went wide; the officials missed their knock-on; they then put together 7 mostly close phases to get a penalty 18 metres into the home team's half, which they ran to the posts with Lespierre getting his hat-trick at 9 minutes. White added

The visitors secured the restart and recycled once close and once wide. Barnes' inside centre ripped the ball off an opposition player then 6 phases got the home team a penalty 27 metres out. This was kicked to 9 metres out from where the pack drove over at the second attempt with prop Milford-Scott on the ball at 13 minutes. The conversion missed.

Barnes secured the restart and kicked to touch at the other 10 metre line. A penalty for them soon followed the line-out. The kick took them to their line-out 16 metres out. Their drive didn't not succeed; after a couple of recycles they got another penalty 2 metres back, for a high tackle, that resulted in a line-out 5 metres out. This time the drive got to the line with prop Packham on the ball at 19 minutes. The conversion was unsuccessful.

A penalty for crossing after the visitors regained the restart gave Barnes another penalty. The kick took them to 5 metres from halfway. From the line-out they put together a good set of 11 phases, but only advancing 7 metres, to get another penalty and another man advantage for 10 minutes. The following kick took them to just inside the 22. The visitors prevented a drive from getting going; Barnes recycled 4 times before being penalised for not releasing. The Old Boys kicked for a line-out 29 metres from their line and started a good drive to get another penalty 8 metres from halfway then a line-out 23 metres ahead. Soon after there were 2 turnovers before Elthamians got a scrum put-in just outside the opposition 22. Barnes were penalised in the scrum and another was chosen. From this one the visitors broke blind and put together 8 good phases before putting flanker Denbee through a hole to go over two-thirds of the way from the posts to touch after 31 minutes. Replacement centre Surman converted.

Elthamians return the restart with an up-and-under; Barnes kept the ball for 6 phases before they were turned over. After kicks were exchanged and the visitors had kept the ball for a couple of phases they got a scrum 12 metres inside their half. Following 6 more phases they were turned over; Barnes recycled twice then O'Toole put a short chip through the close defence for Martey to get and run 40 metres to the posts after 37 minutes. O'Toole added. That was the 4th try, gaining a bonus point. The restart didn't go 10 metres; after the scrum there were 2 errors before the final whistle.

Dry with a varying wind; cool and mostly overcast at the start then brightening and getting warmer later on; the pitch firm.