Barnes delivered less than ...

The ball bounced into touch from Barnes' kick-off into the strong wind. Guernsey kicked high soon after their line-out; Barnes recycled twice before being turned over. The visitors recycled twice to get the first penalty 75 seconds into the game and fly-half Walters kicked the points from 3 metres inside the opposition half. Barnes conceded another penalty soon after their restart. Guernsey kicked for a line-out just outside their opponents' 22. At first their pack kept the ball before releasing then after 3 recycles Walters broke through to touch down not far from the post at 5 minutes and he added the conversion.

After the restart and a Barnes' error the visitors quickly got another attack going with some very good recycling and retention until penalised for not releasing. The kick to touch didn't get the home team out of their half but a forward drive from the line-out did. Guernsey forced an error after the ball was released and got possession. Kicks were exchanged before Barnes were penalised for the third time, 5 metres inside their half. A very good kick took the visitors to their line-out 6 metres out but that was stolen by the opposition and was kicked to touch still inside the 22. Guernsey got a free-kick at their line-out and ran it; their forwards recycled twice and this resulted in their getting a free-kick 10 metres out. They chose a set scrum and the ball was quickly let out then recycled wide before they were penalised 10 metres out. The kick took Barnes up to 13 metres from halfway and from the line-out they first kept the ball in then broke blind before recycling to centre then again wide sending outside centre Holmes down the far touchline then in under the posts at 16 minutes. Fullback O'Toole added. Inside 3 minutes Barnes took the lead; they had secured the restart and gone to the opposition line without Guernsey touching the ball. Again it was a three-quarter try with two breaks by the backs in between 8 phases. It was finished by scrumhalf Reeves wide-out and the conversion was wide.

The restart was immediately cleared to touch into the visitors' half. Barnes stole the line-out but their attack was stopped by a penalty for crossing that was unintentional. Guernsey kicked for a line-out 17 metres into the other half then put together an excellent sequence of phases, recycling 15 times and getting to the try line. There just before 24 minutes Barnes lost a man for 10 minutes and visitors chose to have a set scrum 5 metres out. Their pack was pushed back and after the ball was released and one more recycle Barnes forced an error to get their put-in 13 metres out. After the scrum they soon cleared to touch outside of their 22. From this line-out Guernsey tried wider ball and after 2 recycles fullback Campbell beat a couple of tacklers before Barnes forced the opposition into touch 5 metres out. The ball was again cleared to touch, this time to 29 metres out then the visitors line-out failed again giving the opposition a scrum put-in. From that Barnes advanced a bit to get a penalty that took them to a line-out on halfway. This time the pack started a good drive then released to centre before recycling 3 times and advancing until the defence forced an error to get a line-out 15 metres from their own line. Soon after that they tried an up-and-under that Barnes comfortably dealt with then ran back into the 22 where they next got a put-in 19 metres out. From that they recycled 5 times to get a penalty 17 metres out in centre field at 35 minutes and fly-half Williams-Davies kicked the points.

The visitors regained from their short restart but Barnes soon got the ball back and kicked ahead; Guernsey launched another up-and-under which Barnes dealt with then attacked, quickly making yards then recycling 9 times before the opposition got the ball and cleared well to touch before some errors in the last minute of the half. Guernsey had failed to score when Barnes had only 14 men on the field and Barnes' supporters expected an easier second half when their team would have the wind.

Barnes secured the restart varied their recycling before kicking ahead. After some errors from both teams Guernsey started a good attack and put together 13 phases before being penalised 16 metres from their opponents' line. The kick took Barnes to their line-out 3 metres inside their half and from that they went wide before Williams-Davies chipped through to touch 9 metres into the other half. The visitors threw their line-out not-straight then Barnes released quickly from their scrum and Lewis, now at outside centre broke the line and backed himself to beat all defenders to the line at 7 minutes, not far from the posts. O'Toole added.

Guernsey responded well; after Barnes kicked back the restart the visitors recycled 4 times then broke through and recycled 3 more times before they were penalised for crossing. The kick didn't find touch and Guernsey ran the ball; possession changed hands twice after an error from each team then the visitors put together a set of 13 phases until the defence forced an error to get a put-in 27 metres out. Barnes advanced up field from their scrum before being turned over. This was quickly followed by a scrum for the visitors 8 metres inside the opposition half. From that Guernsey broke through at centre then an offload got them further and then they recycled 10 times to get a penalty 10 metres out which they ran to get a scrum put-in 5 metres out. From behind this scrumhalf Barnes slipped round and dived over not far from the posts after 18 minutes. Walters added. 3 minutes after that try Guernsey drew level; this after 2 kicks followed the restart then Guernsey's forwards ran the ball and centre Batiste broke through and sent the other centre Hema to the posts. Walters converted for the lead.

The restart resulted in a scrum for Barnes at the opposition 22. After that the ball was released wide and recycled 7 times before the defence forced an error to get a put-in 16 metres out. Guernsey tried an up-and-under that Barnes dealt with and they got the next scrum 12 metres inside the visitors' half. After this they varied their recycling to get a penalty 26 metres out. This was kicked for a line-out 9 metres out and this got them another penalty 5 metres out, kicked for another line-out. From this one the pack got over but the blind-sided Ref. couldn't seen that a defender had got an arm under the ball after it had been touched down and so gave held-up. At the scrum the visitors were penalised and Barnes chose another scrum. Guernsey held out while the opposition recycled close several times then the ball was released to the backs for Lewis to go through the defence to the posts at 34 minutes and O'Toole added. The restart resulted in a Barnes' scrum after which they kicked ahead into the other half. The visitors ran the ball to get a penalty, still in their own half. A very good kick took them to their line-out 15 metres from their opponents' line. From that they kept the ball in but were stopped; they then recycled 4 times while being forced back before being penalised at Barnes' 10 metre line. The kick got the home team into the other half and after the line-out Barnes kicked into the opposition 22 before the final whistle.

Guernsey deserved their bonus point; on this day their particular strength was their forwards’ recycling and retention.

Rather windy, otherwise bright and not cold with the pitch fairly firm.