A close game of "two halves"in which the lead changed 5 times

The visitors led by 5 points at halftime after 3 tries for each team. Those tries seemed to be more due to frail defences than great attacks. In the second half Westcliff added one penalty while Barnes scored 2 more tries, making the game appear to be one of two very different halves.

The visitors regained from the up-and-under used by the home team in response to the kick-off. They were soon forced into touch 8 metres from halfway; Barnes kicked over after the line-out. Westcliff got the ball and kept it close for 3 phases then had a kick charged down by the opposition no. 8. Centre Weightman got the ball to score at the posts at 2 minutes. Fly-half Strang added.

Again the visitors got the ball back from the up-and-under; they recycled twice, the second time wider, and broke through in midfield for centre Reynolds to go to the line, again to the posts, a minute after the restart. Fly-half Bannister added.

A Westcliff player dropped the high restart; Barnes got the ball away from their scrum under pressure 29 metres out. At the third breakdown their hooker Ruddock broke away from the ruck; scrumhalf Davies then finished not far from the posts; this 2 minutes from the second restart. Strang added.

Another restart was dropped; from their scrum 26 metres out Westcliff had the ball for 5 phases, of which the fourth to the blind side, the last opened up a hole in the defence for Bannister to score after 9 minutes. He added.

Barnes got the ball from the obligatory up-and-under and kicked into the 22; three kicks followed before a penalty for Westcliff at their 10 metre line. The kick took them to the other 22 where an error at the line-out gave the defence a scrum. Barnes were pushed back in that then penalised. Another scrum was chosen; this one held and the visitors put together a set of 6 phases before losing possession. They got the ball back from an up-and-under and sent it wide and advanced well. After 2 recycles the defence was caught offside 26 metres out and the fly-half kicked the points after 18 minutes.

Barnes restarted high and not far; Westcliff used a longer up-and-under that the opposition easily dealt with. Barnes' flanker Harbison ran straight then one recycle wide made good ground and another recycle opened up the defence and one pass sent Davies again to the line wide out at the start of the second quarter. The conversion just missed

Barnes kept the ball for a while after the restart; two up-and-unders followed. The second was dropped and Westcliff sent the ball wide before chipping to touch 13 metres from the home team's line. They got the ball back from an up-and-under after the line-out then advanced with 6 mostly close phases to put hooker Morrant over after 24 minutes. The conversion was good.

For much of the rest of the half Barnes had to defend and did so well. Towards the end Westcliff chose a scrum for their penalty 13 metres out and kept the ball for 13 mixed phases before the defence forced an error at the whistle.

For most of the third quarter there was no continuity of play as both sides suffered from errors. Barnes had the best chance when a penalty took them to 9 metres out but their line-out was thrown to long and Westcliff got the ball. After that the visitors worked their way up field then a regained chip ahead took them well into the other half. After some further discontinuity a break by their scrumhalf Bolton led to their penalty at the 22 that Bannister kicked for the points after 17 minutes.

Westcliff cleared the restart to touch then Barnes threw a quick line-out and soon ran wide. After 9 phases including recovering from an error they got a penalty at the visitors 22. They ran that to get another 5 metres out and a man advantage for 10 minutes. They kicked for a line-out from which their pack started a drive that went down 2 metres out. The ball was recycled to lock Seabright who got over at 22 minutes. The fly-half added.

Following the restart, an opposition error and two kicks Barnes took a quick line-out then put together a very good sequence of 14 phases wide at first making good ground then close afterwards to get a penalty 5 metres out at 28 minutes and Strang kicked for a 2 point lead.

Barnes cleared the restart to touch near halfway; Westcliff broke through at centre after the line-out but were turned over. Barnes kicked to touch 20 metres into the opposition half; the visitors soon used an up-and-under that they regained. After keeping the ball for 7 mixed phases they tried another Garryowen. Barnes got the ball from that and kicked ahead towards touch after recycling twice. Wing Adams ran on to collect that and touch down wide out after a defence error. This after 34 minutes; the conversion was unsuccessful.

Barnes had the penultimate attack with 12 phases before being penalised then held the visitors' last at their 22.

Dry, clear blue sky, cold; some wind along the pitch which was good.