Barnes 2s move up to 3rd in their league ...

Barnes kicked-off and an error gave them the first scrum put-in 28 metres out. From it they released to centre then put together 8 phases to advance to 5 metres out where they were intercepted. Esher got to 30 metres out to another Barnes' scrum. This resulted in a penalty that Barnes kicked to 12 metres out for their line-out. They recovered from tapped ball and again went wide to advance to 15 metres out where the opposition got the third put-in. Now it was Barnes turn to be penalised. Their touch kick took them to still 18 metres inside their half. After first keeping the ball in they launched an up-and-under. Barnes dealt with this then two more kicks followed, the second out on the full giving Barnes a line-out 15 metres into their opponents' half. From that they again recovered from tapped ball and recycled 9 times, mostly close, to get to 5 metres and their penalty that was put into touch for another line-out. From there the pack drove over wide-out with no. 8 Lee on the ball at 10 minutes. Centre Davies kicked a good conversion.

After the restart Barnes had a kick charged down; Esher got the ball and recycled 5 times to get a penalty at the 22. They ran the ball and got another penalty 13 metres out plus a man advantage for 10 minutes. The kick took Esher to a line-out 5 metres out. They first kept the ball in then put together 10 phases before getting a scrum 5 metres out. From that they recycled 5 more times, trying wider and getting to the line where they were turned over. Barnes kicked ahead and Esher soon chipped through. Barnes dealt with this and kicked again. This went into touch off an opposition player for a line-out 25 metres out. Barnes tried an up-and-under after the line-out; Esher dealt with this and went wide to an opposition line-out near halfway. This was thrown not straight but Barnes came away from the scrum with the ball. Going blind then recycling twice they were then penalised for not releasing 13 metres into the visitors' half. The kick took them to 11 metres into the other half. The line-out was stolen, having been thrown too long, and Barnes put together 11 phases to get a penalty at their opponents' 10 metre line. The kick took them to a line-out at the 22. Esher held the drive then Barnes released to centre then the ball was recycled close before a good offload sent flanker Malaney to the posts at 25 minutes. Davies added.

Barnes cleared the restart to touch 6 metres inside their half. From the line-out Esher recycled twice to get a penalty that they ran and got another at the opposition 10 metre line. Again they ran the ball to the 22 then advanced strongly putting together 9 phases before being intercepted. Barnes cleared to touch just 12 metres from their line. They came away from the line-out having got tapped ball and then regained after an up-and-under. They kicked for territory after recycling twice; Esher ran the ball before being turned over. Barnes made some ground before being forced into touch 7 metres inside their half. There was some interaction without attention to the ball before the line-out. The line-out was stolen but Barnes got no advantage from that before another opposition line-out nearby. This resulted in a scrum for Esher there; this was fed twice before Barnes were penalised. Esher ran the ball well quickly getting to 5 metres out where they recycled twice before the defence forced an error to get the next put-in 13 metres out. From that they soon cleared to touch 26 metres out. Esher went wide from their line-out and put together 5 phases, latterly going blind then advancing wide before they were turned over. Barnes cleared to touch just 15 metres out. From this line-out the visitors swiftly went wide and got to 2 metres out. Next they recycled 3 times stretching the defence with some good passing for no. 8 Edwards to go over not far from the posts. Fly-half Hitchcock added before the halftime whistle, with the score 14 – 7.

Barnes secured the second half restart and ran the ball, after recycling once they kicked for territory. Two more kicks followed before Esher's fullback had a very good run breaking through to the opposition 22. After one wide recycle one of the visitors' wings broke through a tackle and made good ground. The defence forced an error after another recycle to get a put-in 16 metres from their line. After the scrum Barnes soon launched an up-and-under then forced another error to get another scrum at their 22. Davies broke through after that for a long run before being turned over. Esher kicked ahead and the ball was dropped giving the visitors a scrum 9 metres into the other half. From that they went wide before being penalised at the next breakdown. The kick took Barnes to just inside the opposition 22. From their line-out Barnes put together 5 phases without advancing much to get another penalty. This took them to a line-out 11 metres out. Esher nearly broke out when opposition scrum half Libbey threw a pass to no one then redeemed himself by getting down on the ball to recover it. Next Barnes had a line-out 9 metres out before they were turned over after recycling twice. A vertical up-and-under resulted in a Barnes' put-in 5 metres out. From that they kept the ball for a few phases without progressing then they got a man advantage for 10 minutes. Barnes chose to have a scrum and from it the pack advanced to go over but made an error touching down giving the defence a 5 metre scrum at which they got a penalty then cleared to touch 26 metres out. After the line-out Esher got a scrum put-in back just inside their 22; they kicked for territory after it. Barnes ran the ball back with 8 phases, most close to the line but no try. They did get a 5 metre scrum from which Lee went blind to put lock Cody-Owen over at the corner at 19 minutes. The conversion was wide.

Barnes secured the restart and kept the ball making ground with mostly close phases and a break from fly-half Van Buuren before a pass into touch gave the visitors a line-out 11 metres from their line. From it Esher released to centre but lost possession; Barnes got it and recycled close 5 times then an offload got them to 3 metres out then the ball was recycled to Blackmore who crossed for the fourth try at 24 minutes. The conversion missed. The restart resulted in a scrum for Esher 30 metres from their opponents' line. After a second put-in the visitors went wide then were intercepted. Barnes broke away but then lost the ball; Esher soon chipped over and regained and kept the ball for 4 phases before Barnes forced an error to get a put-in near their 10 metre line. After the scrum they went wide and broke through almost to the opposition 22. Esher forced an error to get a scrum 26 metres out; after the second put-in they were caught behind the scrum but were awarded a penalty just inside their 22. They ran this to get another put-in 6 metres ahead. Again caught behind the scrum, this time Barnes got the penalty and kicked for a line-out 13 metres out. From it after a couple of phases wing Greenwood fed Saeed to go over at the corner at 35 minutes. The conversion was wide.

After the restart and two recycles Greenwood had a very good run before being caught at the opposition 22. Esher regained possession and soon cleared to touch 12 metres inside their half. The line-out was thrown not straight giving the visitors a scrum there. They recovered from an error and made ground out wide to get the last penalty 4 metres inside their half. They ran the ball wide and broke through before the defence forced an error at the 22 then the whistle.

At Rosslyn Park, under floodlights on an artificial pitch, 7:45 kick-off. Dry, cool & windy.