Tring get revenge for defeat at Barnes

Tring were 16 - 5 up at the break from having a good kicker and one try from their back row being sharper than Barnes'. Barnes scored one very good try wide out. Early in the 2nd 1/2 a bit of luck put Tring in a good attacking position then a lateral cross-field kick created their 2nd try - one to match Barnes' first. Early in the final quarter it was 22 - 10 after a period of territory advantage and a penalty took Barnes to a line-out 5 metres out from which the pack drove over. Then Tring went clear with 3 tries in the last 15 minutes. First an error put Barnes under pressure then a charged down kick gave Tring an easy try. The next was like their 1st then before the whistle a turnover when Barnes were attacking sent the flying winger 2/3 of the pitch for his 2nd.

Tring kicked off; an error from each team saw play switch from one 22 to the other. Tring set up a very good forward drive from the line-out after their first penalty in their half then recycled close 5 times to get another penalty 6 metres into the other half at 5 minutes and Mitchell kicked the points. After the restart Barnes stole a second line-out to get their second attack going and got a kickable penalty after advancing but this was missed. Following the long 22 drop-out the visitors had to clear to touch near halfway. Tring released wide from the line-out and fullback Newton broke through before chipping ahead. Barnes had to clear to touch again this time only 10 metres out. From this line-out, Tring recycled well, keeping the ball close to get another penalty 5 metres out in front of the posts before 12 minutes and Mitchell kicked the points.

An error at the restart gave the visitors a scrum put-in at the opposition 22. From that they released ball to their backs twice before recycling 3 times closer. Tring forced them back but were penalised 11 metres inside their half. Barnes kicked for a line-out 12 metres out. At first their pack kept the ball in then the ball was released wide and wing Wilde made the penultimate pass for the other wing Bevan to score at the far corner at 18 minutes. The conversion missed. Mitchell missed a long range penalty then the visitors kicked their 22 drop-out straight out giving the opposition a put-in back at the 22. From the scrum Tring kept the ball tight and moved 4 metres ahead to get another penalty that Mitchell easily converted before the half-hour and 3 minutes after his previous attempt.

After the restart there were 2 Barnes' put-ins well into the opposition half. At the first they were under pressure and lost possession. From their second they tried a switch of attack that resulted in a kickable penalty against Tring. O'Brien's kick hardly flew; Tring kicked high and regained the ball; kicks were exchanged then an error from each team resulted in a Tring scrum 12 metres inside their own half. The scrum wheeled; the ball came out the side and flanker March raced away with it before sending no. 8 Tauasosi to the line near the posts at 35 minutes. Mitchell added. The visitors stayed in the other half after the restart. They got a put-in but no advantage from it then another from which they recycled well through 7 phases while unable to advance to get a penalty 13 metres out in centre field. The kick for the points missed before the halftime whistle.

Three kicks followed the second half restart, the last to touch by Tring into the other half. The visitors attacked from the line-out; 2 more kicks resulted in a penalty again Tring 13 metres into their half. Barnes kicked for a line-out just inside their opponents' 22. From that they kept ball tight and advanced before an error gave the defence the put-in. Tring kicked for territory and Barnes ran the ball back at them and this resulted in another Tring scrum at their 22. 2 more kicks preceded a Tring line-out at their 22. From this their forwards recycled 4 times before chipping through then hacking on almost to Barnes' line and the visitors had to clear to touch 16 metres out. From the line-out, again their forwards recycled, 5 times, during which a penalty was signalled, before Mitchell kicked laterally for centre Lambden out near the far touch line to catch and go over unopposed near the corner at 8 minutes. The conversion was wide.

Tring cleared the restart to touch then poor tapped ball gave them the next scrum. Pressure at this straight away gave the visitors one but they were soon penalised after advancing to the next ruck. Tring kicked for a line-out into the other half and advanced keeping ball tight after that until turned over. Barnes sent ball wide before kicking to touch into the opposition 22. Tring kicked for territory; the visitors ran the ball back at them and Tring's defence was good and got the next scrum 12 metres from their own line. Their pack was under pressure at the put-in and their opponents' got the ball. Barnes recycled 7 times before being penalised at a ruck. Tring kicked for a line-out at halfway then threw it not-straight. They got a free-kick before the ball was put-in and their pack ran it before soon being penalised. Barnes' kick took them to their line-out just inside the opposition 22. Tring forced 2 turnovers with their kick in between. After the second they recycled 4 times before they were penalised. The visitors' very good kick took them to another line-out 5 metres out and from this their pack forced their way over with replacement flanker Smyth on the ball at 22 minutes. A new kicker's conversion was just wide

The visitors secured the restart and launched an up-and-under then won a turnover; after recycling they kicked the ball ahead and dead giving the opposition a scrum back 5 metres inside Tring's half. Barnes were penalised before the put-in and the kick sent them back to defend a line-out at their 22. From their line-out Tring kept ball close and advanced strongly, recycling 6 times until close to the try line where they were turned over. A clearing kick was charged down and hooker Wattleworth was first to touch down the ball at 27 minutes; Mitchell added.

Tring cleared the restart to touch back into the other half. Barnes released to centre then kicked ahead; 3 more kicks followed resulting in a line-out near halfway. From that the visitors varied their plays before kicking to touch still outside of the opposition 22. An error at the line-out gave them a put-in from which they released to centre and recycled twice before winning a penalty that they kicked for a line-out 18 metres from their opponents' try line. They kept ball close but the defence from Tring was very good and forced them back to get the next scrum 27 metres out. Barnes' pack pushed their opponents back but the ball was retained and quickly got to fullback Newton coming up close and with Barnes' back row having their heads down pushing he went clear and fed wing Michalski to race to the corner to touch down after 33 minutes. An error at the restart gave Tring a put-in on halfway but pressure got the ball back for Barnes' pack. Tring limited Barnes' options and got another put-in not far into their half. This time they did keep the ball but soon an error gave Barnes a put-in. They released to centre then recycled twice before being turned over and Michalski was set away to the corner again with a very good pass for the penultimate score and the last was a very good conversion - Mitchell's 6th successful kick - before the whistle.

40 points to 10 or 8 scores to 2 looks pretty convincing but the game as played wasn’t really so clear cut. Still, the records will only show the resulting score. Barnes probably had more than 50% of the territory in the second half when going 19 points further behind. Tring were sharper and better at turning potential opportunities into scores. Barnes needed a goal kicker.

The pitch was of course soft and wet but otherwise the conditions were excellent. Some variable wind with the air dry and a little blue sky.