Scoreline slightly flatters Bury

The home team kicked off and most of the first quarter was played in the opposition half with Bury having more of the possession. The visitors defended well then after a Bury error Barnes got their first attack going. The defence held 8 metres out, forcing an error, and kicked ahead soon after their scrum. The visitors got the next put-in at the opposition 10 metre line and from that advanced with the help of a diagonal chip to get an easily kickable penalty not long before the end of 1st quarter. Fullback Clarke kicked the points. The restart was followed by an unforced error from Bury then one they forced on the visitors. From the scrum a loop around by their backs and fullback Rawcliffe coming into the line sent wing Solomon clear down the touchline to score their first try 4 minutes after Barnes penalty. The conversion was wide.

An unforced error from Bury set the visitors second attack going. Bury stopped a line-out and drive from close range by Barnes. The visitors were forced back but came again and a break at centre by Lewis lead to another easily kickable penalty at after the half-hour, kicked by Clarke. Bury regained from their restart before the visitors forced an error to get a scrum put-in 17 metres into their own half. From that they launched a diagonal kick ahead. Bury ran the ball back and fly-half Rush broke the line then after 4 recycles scrumhalf Meyers broke blind from a ruck. Two passes got Bury to 10 metres out then one more recycle sent the ball to wing Snelling at the touchline and he touched down after 36 minutes. A very good conversion from prop Cook followed. Bury soon cleared the restart to touch then stole the line-out and advanced to get an easily kickable penalty just outside the 22 and Cook kicked the points before the halftime whistle.

Bury stayed in Barnes’ half for most of the early minutes of the second half then Cook kicked a long-range penalty after 12 minutes. An error after the restart set Barnes attacking and they got close to their opponents line before the defence forced an attacker into touch 7 metres out. Bury cleared to touch then stole the line-out and kicked ahead. A telegraphed long pass was intercepted by Snelling who ran 3/4 of the pitch to touch down at the posts before the end of the third quarter.

From the restart Bury immediately broke out all the way to the opposition 22. Several Barnes' players got back to defend and after the ball was recycled by Bury and not to hand it has kicked sideways from on the ground by one of Bury's players and it fortuitously went about 15 metres directly into the hands of another player (who may have even been offside!). This was fly-half Rush and he had no trouble in going to the line with most of the defence unaware of how he got the ball. This 2 ¼ minutes after the previous try and Cook added.

Barnes stayed in the opposition half for a while after the restart then Bury got out for a while before Barnes came again. They chose a penalty when the opposition were penalised at their own 10 metre line and advanced to get another put-in in the 22. After a turnover by each team Bury were again penalised at their 10 metre line and this Time the visitors kicked for a line-out 29 metres out. From this they moved up to get another penalty at the 22 in centre field. This got them another line-out 13 metres out and after that they were penalised for crossing. The kick didn't go into touch and Barnes ran the ball back to get a penalty and a man advantage for the last few minutes. This time their kick gave them a line-out just outside the 22 and after it they recovered from an error and recycled half a dozen times to send wing Cottenden over for a consolation try. The conversion was wide before the whistle.

3 O’clock kick-off under floodlights, 100% blue sky, cool and sunny at the start, not much wind. The pitch soft-ish with long grass and looking nowhere near as flat as that of London Irish Amateurs.