A confident win against adventurous opposition ...

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The Barnes' team reached Shelford very late due to no fault of their own; their second problem being a complete stoppage on the motorway near Shelford for a serious vehicle accident requiring police and ambulance. They were denied reasonable time for warm-up with the start of the game being delayed only 15 minutes.

The visitors kicked off; two kicks followed before the first line-out 30 metres from the home team's line. Barnes dealt with Shelford's up-and-under after the line-out then after 3 phases were penalised 7 metres inside their half. The kick took Shelford to 17 metres out and from their line-out they set up a drive. This was held then after release they were turned over and the visitors kicked for territory. Shelford ran the ball back well with 7 mixed expansive phases until the defenders forced an error to get the first scrum put-in 28 metres out. They were under pressure at that and the ball was hooked against the head. Shelford had the ball for two phases before an error gave the visitors another put-in 3 metres back. Again they were pushed off their ball and Shelford went wide then passed forward having lost 2 metres. At the third scrum the home team were penalised and Barnes kicked for a line-out still 6 metres from halfway. Their line-out was stolen and Shelford recycled 3 times before being forced into touch 5 metres back. This time they just secured their line-out ball; kicks were exchanged then Barnes ran the ball for a couple of wide phases before a good pass was dropped 10 metres inside the visitors' half. Shelford kept the ball close after the scrum to get a penalty 6 metres back and kicked for a line-out just inside the opposition 22. After first keeping the ball in they sent the ball through hands to the far side and advanced to 10 metres out. From there they recycled to centre then went blind to advance again; there was an offload and one more recycle close before a good long pass found flanker Newberry in space and he ran almost unopposed to go over wide out at 13 minutes. The conversion was close but unsuccessful.

Shelford secured the restart and soon replied with an up-and-under. This resulted in a scrum for the visitors almost 10 metres back inside their own half. They got the ball away under pressure and soon they tried an up-and-under. Shelford got the ball from that and put together their best sequence of phases thus far. Starting with a break from the up-and-under one recycle blind got them to the 22 then after 9 more phases they were penalised less than 6 metres out for crossing. From the scrum the visitors cleared to touch well 20 metres from halfway. Shelford's line-out was thrown not-straight; from the scrum Barnes soon tried another up-and-under. The home team soon kicked back to their opponents' 22 then the ball was run out with two phases before Shelford won a turnover. Next they recycled 3 times to break through but were penalised for offside 15 metres into the opposition half. The kick gained Barnes 23 metres and from the line-out they recycled close 5 times before chipping through the line. Shelford replied with an up-and-under then Barnes went wide and chipped through to touch 29 metres for the home team's line. They stole the line-out with tapped ball and recycled twice close then set their backs running and passing to get to 15 metres out then after an error the Ref. went back to a penalty 29 metres out. The kick took them to 9 metres out. Shelford held an attempted drive from the line-out then Barnes recycled again to inside centre Butler who punched through to a couple of metres out and there seemed to have been stopped but forced himself on and over at 25 minutes near the posts. Fly-half Williams-Davies added.

Shelford regained their restart and advanced strongly after their second recycle and before being forced into touch 17 metres out. The visitors cleared to touch from the line-out to 11 metres from halfway. From their line-out and sending the ball wide to the other side Shelford put together 4 lose phases before being turned over. Barnes again used an up-and-under then Shelford went wide again and kicked to the opposition 22. The visitors kicked long to touch and Ref. went back to penalise Shelford for offside 2 metres inside their half. The kick gained 16 metres and from the line-out made ground with 4 phases before losing possession. Shelford got the ball and cleared to touch 28 metres out. From the next line-out the visitors' pack started a very good driving maul then their scrum half broke blind before he and the right wing were penalised 7 metres out for crossing. Shelford kicked for a line-out 18 metres from halfway; after it they used an up-and-under. Barnes got the ball and put together 9 good phases before the defence forced an error 12 metres out. From their scrum the home team broke blind and soon launched an up-and-under with an offside runner. This gave the visitors a penalty 8 metres out and they kicked for a line-out 5 metres out. The defence stole that and recycled at the line and the Ref. awarded Barnes a 5 metre scrum. Under pressure they got the ball out and recycled close then once more to centre Cornish who snaked close, twisted and reached over to touch down. The unsighted Ref. did not give it, judging it held-up. From the next 5 metre scrum after keeping the ball close for 6 phases the fly-half sent a perfectly judged nearly lateral kick to his right for wing Martey to catch, competing in the air with a defender, and come in closer to the posts to touch down. The conversion just missed before the half time whistle.

The visitors soon replied to the second half kick-off with an up-and-under; the home team then started a good attack to the 22 then recycled 5 times with two more advances before being turned over. Kicks were then exchanged, the second to touch 27 metres from Barnes' line. The line-out was thrown not-straight giving Shelford a put-in there. From the scrum they went wide then passed forward at the second phase 6 metres into their opponents' half. Barnes broke blind from the second scrum then a wild pass went straight into touch 15 metres past halfway. From the line-out Shelford's scrumhalf broke into the other half where he was turned over. Barnes soon launched an up-and-under that Shelford got; they advanced putting together 6 good phases before chipping through to touch 28 metres from their opponents' line. Barnes used a longer up-and-under from the line-out; Shelford ran back and kicked to the line for a 22 drop-out. Again Shelford ran and this time got a penalty 8 metres into the opposition half at centre field. The kick missed and the defence touched down for another 22 drop-out. Shelford kept the ball and recycled 4 times, twice wide, twice close. Two turnovers followed then Shelford repeated their last phases before being intercepted by an offside player at the opposition 10 metre line. They opted to kick for 3 points but the kick was short. The visitors ran the ball in their 22, recycled 3 times then kicked ahead. Shelford got the ball then a penalty 8 metres inside their half and kicked for a line-out 23 metres ahead. Their line-out was stolen and Barnes went wide before recycling twice then launching an up-and-under. Shelford got the ball and ran for 4 phases before kicking out on the full from their 10 metre line. Barnes went wide from the line-out then recycled close twice, the second time to their inside centre who made some ground. After another recycle the fly-half chipped through to the try line for Butler to follow. Shelford got the ball but the Ref. went back to penalise them for offside 26 metres out. The visitors kicked for a line-out 7 metres out where the line-out was thrown not-straight. Shelford got a free-kick at the scrum and ran the ball to get a penalty 20 metres out. They kicked for line-out a metre past halfway and after it kept the ball for 5 phases before trying an up-and-under that they regained. After another 3 phases they launched another that the opposition got. Barnes then had the ball for 5 phases before being dispossessed. Shelford kicked ahead and Barnes ran back; after two recycles Butler got close but was stopped then the ball was recycled to the fly-half who again fed his inside centre who got over at the second attempt for his second try at the start of the final quarter. The fly-half added.

The visitors soon cleared the restart to touch 16 metres from halfway; Shelford threw their line-out not-straight. From the scrum Barnes broke blind and straight away got a penalty a metre ahead. The kick went into touch still more than 5 metres from halfway. From the line-out their forwards set up a very good rolling maul then released to their backs. A half break by Cornish and a recycle to wing Scott sent the latter away then after one recycle the visitors were penalised 8 metres out. A surprising failure to score. Shelford cleared to touch 4 metres from halfway then from their line-out they went wide then recycled wide again. After another recycle the ball was dropped then hacked ahead by Scott. Kicking further he got it to the line and touched down not far from the posts at 27 minutes. The fly-half added.

The visitors cleared the restart to touch 27 metres out; from the line-out Shelford went wide and Barnes were caught offside 17 metres inside their half. The kick went into touch 16 metres out and from the line-out Shelford kept the ball close and advanced to 7 metres out with 4 phases to get another penalty. They chose to have a scrum then from that they kept possession for another 8 phases before the ball was dropped. The visitors got it and kicked for territory; their opponents ran the ball back for 5 more phases until penalised 17 metres out. Barnes cleared to touch 15 metres from halfway then launched an up-and-under after the line-out. That resulted in a penalty for the home team just past halfway. Their kick took them to 19 metres from the visitors' line. The line-out was followed by their scrum 2 metres back; from that they first kept the ball in then went wide. After another recycle they lost possession to a counter-ruck. Cornish ran off to the other 22 then after a couple of passes Barnes were forced into touch 5 metres out. Shelford cleared to touch 29 metres out then got a scrum after the line-out was thrown not-straight. After that they soon went wide and kicked ahead; Barnes ran the ball for 9 phases before the opposition forced an error before the final whistle.

Bright, mostly cloudy, some wind but not much; cold towards the end of the first half after a late start. Played on an artificial pitch with floodlights later on.