Monkey off back

The score was 7-all after 6 minutes; there had been no scrums, no penalties and one line-out stolen by Barnes. Wing Riley for the home team scored first then centre Stocker for the visitors. A good tackle from Riley stopped a Stortford try. Barnes should have scored their second try when, with a two-on-one, a wrong option was taken and the only defender got the ball and it was cleared to touch. Stortford stole several line-outs then despite this from an attacking scrum centre Lewis ran towards the forwards, ball was recycled blind then to Taylor then to fly-half Williams-Davies who made a half-break and offloaded to scrumhalf Reeves then one more recycles got Lewis over at the posts at 26 minutes. Gower added.

Barnes’ pack an advantage all game in the set scrums yet were penalised at a Stortford put-in (even international Ref.s get this wrong). Coleman kicked the points at 32 minutes. The restart resulted in an attacking Barnes' put-in 27 metres out. After the scrum the home team varied their recycling; Reeves was turned over by his opposite number Sam Coleman who then ran 3/4 of the pitch for a brilliant individual try on 36 minutes. Tom Coleman added. At halftime 14 - 17 was a fair score given that Barnes had lost several line-outs and might have been ahead were it not for that.

The first attack of the second half came from Barnes; they got to 5 metres out before a forward pass allowed the visitors to clear and move up field. A Barnes error gave the visitors a scrum at halfway. They kicked ahead then forced another error resulting in their attacking line-out 5 metres out and from there their pack had little trouble in driving over near the corner after 11 minutes with prop Gelman on the ball. Later, defending a Stortford attack, they lost a man for 10 minutes but got out of their half then Stortford, from their scrum at their 10 metre line, released to Stocker who broke the line running more than 30 metres; fullback Winter then took the ball to the line where it was recycled 3 times before fly-half Coleman touched down near the posts at 28 minutes then added the conversion.

In the last 4 minutes Barnes scored two tries. From a scrum in their own half Barnes' pack then kept ball tight to go 20 metres and into the opposition half to get a penalty. This was put into touch for a line-out 16 metres out, from which the pack drove over with hooker Alteirac on the ball at 37 minutes. The conversion kick hit the far post and stayed out. Barnes dealt with the restart and got another penalty after 3 recycles. The kick took them to another line-out, this just 11 metres into their opponents' half. The pack started a drive then released to Butler coming in a centre then after two recycles Henry got over at the corner. The conversion was wide before the final whistle.

More Detail

The visitors kicked off and immediately regained the ball; after recycling they tried a chip that was returned with interest by Barnes. Another kick from Stortford followed then they forced a turnover after Barnes had kept ball in hand and recycled 3 times. They recycled once before they too were turned over. Barnes' lock Chance and no. 8 Taylor then made yards and after 2 more recycles wing Riley ran in from close to the 22 to near the posts. This inside 2 minutes then Gower converted. Gower returned the restart to touch in the other half then Barnes stole the line-out. The defence soon forced an error to get the first put-in; Barnes wheeled the scrum twice but the visitors did retain and after one recycle hooker Caulfield broke through close, making 30 metres. The ball was recycled 3 times then offloaded before one more recycle wide got it to centre Stocker who went to the posts at 6 minutes. Tom Coleman evened the score.

Now Barnes regained their restart and broke into the opposition 22, recycling. After another couple of recycles the visitors forced a turnover and cleared to touch 30 metres out. They then stole the line-out and after a few exchanges got out of their half to a Barnes' scrum. Some more exchanges resulted in a kickable penalty for the visitors after 13 minutes but this missed. They got another penalty further back soon after the restart which they ran. Barnes forced a turnover then got the next line-out just outside of their 22. From this their pack set up a driving maul which advanced 20 metres. When this went down they tried an up-and-under that was followed by two more kicks then a Stortford line-out at halfway. From this the visitors advanced strongly through several phases and a very good tackle from Riley saved a try before the Ref. went back to give Stortford a penalty 5 metres out. They put this into touch and the defence forced an error after the line-out. Advantage was played and Barnes kicked for territory then forced another error for which the Ref. again played advantage. Barnes should have scored their second try when, with a two-on-one, a wrong option was taken and the only defender got the ball and it was cleared to touch 28 metres out. Stortford stole this line-out and kicked; Barnes kicked into the 22 and this was returned to touch at the same place. Stortford stole a third line-out then two kicks were exchanged for a 3rd line-out for Barnes at about the same place as previously. This one was thrown too long and the visitors got it but immediately dropped it. From the scrum Lewis ran towards the forwards, ball was recycled blind then to Taylor then to fly-half Williams-Davies who made a half-break and offloaded to scrumhalf Reeves then one more recycles got Lewis over at the posts at 26 minutes. Gower added.

Barnes were penalised receiving the restart and Stortford kicked for a line-out 15 metres out. The defence stopped Stocker on the burst then the visitors passed forward after 3 recycles with a significant advance in between. Barnes got a penalty at the scrum but had yet another line-out stolen after the touch-kick. Stortford advanced with 4 recycles and a break before being turned over but after two recycles Barnes had to give up possession for accidentally offside At this scrum Barnes were penalised, despite in almost all scrums being dominant (even international Ref.s get this wrong). Coleman kicked the points at 32 minutes. The restart resulted in an attacking Barnes' put-in 27 metres out. After the scrum the home team varied their recycling; Reeves was turned over by his opposite number Sam Coleman who then ran 3/4 of the pitch for a brilliant individual try on 36 minutes. Tom Coleman added. The restart resulted in an attacking line-out for Barnes just outside the 22. After that the visitors were penalised and sent 10 metres further back. Gower missed from fairly wide out half a minute before the halftime whistle. 14 - 17 was a fair score given that Barnes had lost several line-outs and might have been ahead were it not for that.

Barnes regained at the start of the second half then got the first put-in after 3 recycles then a near intercept. They also got the first penalty of the half after a couple of recycles and a small advance. They kicked for a line-out 13 metres out and this time kept their own ball. They recycled and advanced to get the put-in 5 metres out. After that and 2 recycles there was a forward pass and Stortford cleared to touch nearly to halfway then stole yet another line-out. They kicked ahead then Barnes got a defensive put-in and from that recycled 6 times before kicking to touch in the other half. Stortford first kept ball tight then tried an up-and-under; Barnes dealt with this but an error soon gave the visitors a scrum at halfway. They kicked ahead then forced another error resulting in their attacking line-out 5 metres out and from there their pack had little trouble in driving over near the corner after 11 minutes with prop Gelman on the ball.

The conversion was wide. Stortford secured the restart, recycled once then chipped over the line and regained then immediately were awarded a penalty. Coleman's long range kick missed. The 22 drop-out was fielded by fullback Winter who ran it back, breaking easily through then 5 recycles took the visitors to 3 metres out from Barnes' line. The home team lost a man for 10 minutes and Stortford opted for another close line-out. The defence held this time and forced the opposition back then got a penalty 14 metres out. They kicked to touch near halfway then were forced backwards after the line-out to another for Stortford. A high kick from the visitors caused chaos and resulted in a scrum 5 metres out for Stortford. Barnes' defence held and got a penalty which they kicked to touch not far from halfway. From this line-out they advanced slowly into the other half, recycling 7 times before an error lost them possession. From their scrum at their 10 metre line Stortford released to Stocker who broke the line running more than 30 metres; Winter then took the ball to the line where it was recycled 3 times before fly-half Coleman touched down near the posts at 28 minutes then added the conversion.

The visitors secured the restart and straight away got a put-in. After the ball was kicked Barnes ran it back with Riley breaking through but Stortford getting the next put-in just outside their 22. From the scrum they kicked to touch well into the other half then were penalised after the line-out ball was released to centre by Barnes. The home team ran this one and made 30 metres before being forced into touch. Stortford launched an up-and-under after the scrum then a dropped pass gave them another put-in in Barnes' half. They lost possession soon after the scrum and Barnes' pack then kept ball tight to go 20 metres and into the opposition half to get a penalty. This was put into touch for a line-out 16 metres out, from which the pack drove over with hooker Alteirac on the ball at 37 minutes. The conversion kick hit the far post and stayed out. Barnes dealt with the restart and got another penalty after 3 recycles. The kick took them to another line-out, this just 11 metres into their opponents' half. The pack started a drive then released to Butler coming in a centre then after two recycles Henry got over at the corner. The conversion was wide before the final whistle.

Sunny with some blue sky, no wind and the pitch still soft.