CS defence thwarts Barnes

On a wet pitch with wind helping one team each half, this was an error-strewn game with far too many penalties. CS1863 won by a converted try yet the win was probably due to their better-marshalled defence. Overall Barnes seemed to have some advantage in the pack as a unit while the forwards of CS frequently made yards with individual thrusts. Service's three-quarter line often flowed with a wing getting outside the defence and was more dangerous. Barnes' backs mostly stuttered although a couple of wide advances were made early on, but these were not well supported. Since Civil Service first joined Barnes in this league the teams have met seven times; this was the first that Barnes have lost.

Dry, 100% overcast after overnight and morning rain. Barnes had the wind in 1st 1/2

CS secured the kick-off and varied their recycling before the visitors forced an error; advantage was played and Barnes recycled 4 times before breaking down the wing into the opposition 22. Their attack was halted by lack of support and the defence got the first scrum put-in 17 metres from their line. The visitors won a turnover after the scrum but an error soon gave possession back to CS and advantage was again played. An exchange of kicks to Barnes' disadvantage was followed by the first penalty against them at their 10 metre line. CS kicked to touch into the 22 and from the line-out they first attempted a forward drive then released wide to the other side and won another penalty now 5 metres out. This was put into touch for another line-out. Barnes' pack pushed the attempted drive back; CS put together a set of more than a dozen phases, despite being forced backwards, before being turned over. Two more kicks were exchanged, this time to Barnes' advantage, and the visitors got back into the opposition 22 with a run by Adams on the wing. The ball was recycled twice before they were penalised for not releasing 8 metres out. CS threw the line-out not-straight after kicking to touch, still well inside their own half. A forward pass soon after the scrum gave the home pack the next scrum, just outside their 22. The put-in wasn't right and the Ref. sent CS 10 metres further back, presumably for chat. Barnes opted for a scrum but could not make progress from that with good defence forcing an error. Another free-kick to Barnes was given at the scrum. Again the visitors chose a set scrum at which they created pressure; from that they went blind and got a penalty 5 metres out. Another scrum was chosen and at that their pack drove over the line and no.8 Sharpe touched the ball down at 16 minutes. The conversion from wide out was wide.

The visitors returned the restart with an up-and-under; Service dealt with this comfortably and set up a good mixed attack then chipped over the defence. A difficult bouncing ball near the line was deftly gathered by Sharpe and Barnes were able to clear to touch well outside of their 22. They won a turnover soon after the line-out and kicked for territory to touch at the opposition 22. From their line-out CS threw the ball wide before being turned over. Barnes attacked with ball in hand before being forced into touch 6 metres out. From this line-out Service kept the ball tight and drove out of their 22 then released wide and advanced again to get a penalty at their opponents' 10 metre line. They kicked for a line-out 17 metres out; the ball was dropped after a couple of recycles and hacked on by the opposition who got it and kicked long into the other half. Service ran then tried an up-and-under; Barnes dealt with this then were awarded a penalty at half way. They kicked to touch but still outside of the opposition 22. After recycling twice from the line-out they tried wider ball. An error gave CS possession and Hadden raced away to 15 metres from Barnes' line. From the breakdown Service recycled 5 times advancing close to the line before Hadden sidestepped to go through the defence at the posts at the half-hour. He converted for the lead.

CS secured the restart and soon kicked; Barnes lost possession but got the next put-in at the home team's 22 and at this they shoved early giving the opposition a free-kick. Service opted for an up-and-under; the visitors claimed the ball then put together a very good sequence of attacking phases to get a penalty inside the 22. They kicked for a line-out 9 metres out and tried to drive from that. When this broke up they recycled twice before passing forward. They were penalised soon after the scrum and Service kicked for a line-out still in their own 22. After two recycles CS tried another up-and-under. Barnes kept ball in hand before being forced into touch. Service attacked strongly from their line-out in their own half before chipping to the corner. Barnes easily marked in their 22 then cleared to touch, apparently having run out of the 22, and this gave their opponents an attacking line-out at the 22. Following that the visitors forced a turnover after the line-out and their scrumhalf kicked over the line. The result of this was a scrum for Barnes 5 metres into the other half. From it they recycled several times and made progress before the defence forced an error at the halftime whistle.

CS kicked-off the second half; the ball wasn't caught, it was allowed to bounce and the bounce did not favour Barnes. They had to touch down behind their own line. From their 5-metre scrum Service sent the ball wide and wing Yiend easily went to the far corner to score 1 minute in. The conversion was wide. Two chip-kicks followed the restart and Barnes got a line-out just into the other half. From it they sent ball wide where an easy pass was dropped. They got a free-kick at the put-in; their forwards ran this to get a penalty 11 metres into the half and the visitors also ran this. Service forced a turnover and kicked long; Barnes ran this back and with a ball carrier unsupported were penalised for not releasing at their 10 metre line. Hadden tried for the 3 points and went close but not over. The visitors regained the 22 drop-out but immediately dropped the ball. There was a minor action without the ball then a penalty to Barnes at halfway. This was kicked to touch just outside their opponents' 22. From the line-out the visitors varied their options and advanced to 10 metres out to get another penalty. This was run wider and they got to 3 metres out; five close recycles followed and then another penalty, this time 6 metres out. They chose a set scrum and got another penalty and ran this one but the defence held then the Ref. went back to give them another penalty. Scrumhalf Fouracre quickly went for the line and over before 12 minutes and McIntyre converted to level the scores.

The visitors secured the restart and cleared to touch; from their line-out CS released to Hadden then Barnes were penalised 26 metres out. Surprisingly Hadden missed. The visitors regained their 22 drop-out then tried an up-and-under; Service kicked back and Barnes repeated, but this time regained and sent ball wide to get a penalty 3 metres into the opposition half. They kicked for a line-out at the 22 then threw that not-straight. They created pressure on the scrum but CS got the ball away and then a penalty. Their kick took them to their line-out at the visitors 10 metre line and that line-out was stolen and Barnes got a put-in immediately after. After the scrum they soon kicked into the other half where Service got the next scrum. CS got the ball away under pressure and kicked for territory into the 22; Barnes returned the kick and wing Piotroski ran the ball back strongly before the Barnes' defence forced an error 18 metres from their line.

The visitors tried a thrust at inside centre after the scrum then another up-and-under; this got them out of their half to another put-in after which they varied options and made more progress before being penalised for not releasing. Service kicked for a line-out still in their own half. From that they recycled three times to get into the other half and to another penalty. The kick took them to a line-out 15 metres out. Their pack tried a drive then recycled twice before being turned over. Barnes immediately got another scrum then CS a free-kick at that. Straight away Barnes got another scrum and they kept the ball in to get a penalty at their 22. Their kick got them into the other half. An error after the line-out gave possession back to the home team at the opposition 10 metre line. From their scrum CS released to centre opening up a gap then a FORWARD broke ahead and passed to lock Davies who went to the line close to the posts at 33 minutes. Hadden added.

Service secured the restart; three kicks followed with CS regaining their second from a rebound off a leg and advanced to the opposition 22. Barnes got the scrum at the breakdown and broke from that into the other half to get a penalty which they ran. They recycled wide twice getting close to the line before being turned over further back but still inside the 22. A scrum for CS followed and they kicked with the result of their being penalised at halfway and sent 10 metres back. The visitors kicked into the 22 for their line-out then threw that not-straight. Service opted for another line-out then knocked the ball on in that. From the last scrum Barnes got to 10 metres out and another penalty. They were forced into touch after running the penalty.