Barnes' line-outs, Oh Dear!

The visitors kicked off low and flat against the wind and regained just past the 10 metre line, the ball not having been dealt with by Henley. Barnes recycled 7 times, mostly close, then had a chip through charged down. The Ref. went back to give a penalty against the home team 14 metres inside their half. The touch kick took the visitors to almost 5 metres out. After the line-out and 5 recycles the defence forced an error but the Ref. went back to another penalty 8 metres out near the posts and the fly-half was asked to kick the points after two and a half minutes.

Henley restarted to the corner and the kick was too long giving Barnes a scrum back. From that they kicked into the 22 and Henley cleared to touch just outside their 22; the line-out was thrown not-straight. Henley attacked well from their scrum and after 7 phases chipped through to touch 19 metres from the opposition line. The visitors kept the ball in from the line-out and made ground before releasing close; after 3 close phases the fly-half kicked for territory then the Ref. again went back to give a penalty 10 metres from halfway. The kick gained 24 metres and from this line-out Barnes released to centre then recycled wide again. Following 3 close recycles the defence forced an error to get a scrum put-in 18 metres inside their half. From that Henley kicked out on the full then the visitors threw their line-out not-straight. Henley were penalised in the next scrum and Barnes chose to kick the points from a 30o angle and missed, crossing in front of the posts. Henley ran the ball and after 3 phases were awarded a penalty 15 metres from halfway. The line-out was just inside their half and was stolen; the visitors soon chipped through and Henley cleared to touch where the preceding penalty had been given. Again the line-out was not-straight and from the scrum Henley kicked well to touch 16 metres from their opponents' line. This time Henley stole the line-out and 5 phases got them a penalty 21 metres out. The kick gained them 16 metres and from the line-out with 4 close phases nearly got to the line. They set up a driving maul and got over not far from the posts after 23 minutes with prop Manning on the ball. Fly-half Butler added.

Henley cleared the restart to touch and the visitors threw a quick line-out then kicked diagonally. Henley ran and directly were turned over; Barnes soon got another penalty at the opposition 10 metre line and kicked for a line-out just inside the 22. That was stolen and Henley put together their best sequence of possession, advancing much more than half the pitch with 10 phases to 17 metres from Barnes' line. After a long injury the game restarted with a scrum for the home team. From that they went widest and advanced then recycled with 8 close phases until penalised 5 metres out. The kick took the visitors to 14 metres from halfway; they won their line-out and kept the ball close for 6 phases before Henley forced an error to get a scrum 22 metres into the opposition half. After the scrum a well-delayed pass put wing Portland through a hole to the posts at 33 minutes. Butler added.

The visitors' high restart was blown back and didn't go 10 metres. From the scrum Henley advanced with 7 close phases before Barnes got hold of a loose ball. They soon used an up-and under but a runner ahead of the kicker gave the opposition a penalty 17 metres into the other half. The kick took Henley to 9 metres out; the ball was kept in from the line-out but they were penalised 2 metres ahead. Barnes kicked for another line-out 20 metres from halfway and just secured that. Next they soon tried an up-and-under that was vertical; Henley got the ball and kept it for 9 mixed phases before the opposition forced an error for the halftime whistle.

Barnes secured the second half restart and soon used an up-and-under; Henley dealt with that, kicks were exchanged then Henley ran and tried an up-and-under then picked up the loose ball near halfway. They broke into the 22 and after 6 mostly close recycles sent replacement prop Cook to the corner after 2 minutes for a 16 point lead. The conversion was wide.

The restart went out on the full; following the scrum back, kicks were exchanged leading to a Henley line-out outside their 22. They cleared to touch 28 metres out then stole another line-out. They made some ground before being penalised 15 metres from halfway; Barnes ran the penalty and got to 5 metres out with 6 phases before losing possession. Henley cleared to just inside their 22 then stole another line-out and kicked for another just a few metres ahead. Again they got the ball, this time at the end of the line-out. Three kicks followed with the visitors gaining advantage then they ran the ball for 4 phases to get a penalty at halfway. They kicked for a line-out 17 metres out then threw the line-out not-straight. After the scrum, a switch of play by Butler got Henley a penalty 21 metres out. The kick took them to halfway and from the line-out they passed forward 8 metres ahead after 3 recycles. After the scrum and 4 phases Barnes advanced before they too passed forward. The next action did not involve the ball and resulted in a penalty for the home side just outside their 22. The kick took them to halfway then the opposition got a free-kick at the line-out which they ran. They soon recovered from an error and after 9 phases they got a man advantage for 10 minutes 16 metres into Henley's half. The kick took them to 5 metres out. This line-out was good and from it Barnes had the ball for 11 mostly close phases before their put-in 10 metres out. They broke blind from that and recycled twice close then twice wider then one more recycle to flanker Van der Poel sent him to touched down not far from the posts after 22 minutes. Wicks added.

A potentially dangerous tackle soon after the restart gave the visitors another man advantage for 10 minutes. This happened 12 metres into Barnes' half and the kick took them to 18 metres from the opposition line. Soon after the line-out the fly-half chipped through to the posts where wing Scott got to the ball first at 26 minutes. Again Wicks added to make the score 19 - 17.

The visitors secured the restart, recycled close twice, then kicked for territory. A runner in front of the kicker was spotted by the Ref., as in the first half, giving Henley a penalty 16 metres into the opposition half. The kick took them to 5 metres out; a drive went down then the defence forced a turnover and cleared to touch at the 22. From the next line-out Henley first kept the ball in then scrumhalf Webb broke close to the pack to go over wide out at 29 minutes. Butler added with a drop kick.

Barnes regained their high restart, recycled 3 times then chipped through to touch 6 metres out. Now they stole a line-out and after 2 recycles Wicks chipped through again for centre Holmes to claim at the posts at 32 minutes. The fly-half added.

The visitors cleared the restart to touch 12 metres from halfway. From the line-out Henley advanced with 3 phases before the defence forced an error to get a put-in 25 metres out. From that they broke blind and advanced then soon kicked diagonally for territory. Henley ran the ball for 5 phases before the Ref. went back to penalise the defence 3 metres into their half. The kick took Henley to 18 metres out and from it they recycled 6 times before kicking out, knowing that time was up.

Bright, warm at the start then cooling, quite a bit of wind; the pitch good.