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A tough day for Barry RFC
BARRY 25 TAFFS WELL 43
FOLLOWING the previous weekend's excellent display at Aberdare, last Saturday's performance against Taffs Well was definitely mediocre.
On a hot, sunny, windless afternoon, playing on a bone hard pitch, the visitors - needing a win to help avoid relegation into Division 5 - played with an intensity that Barry found hard to match.
From the kick-off, the Taffs Well forwards tore into the home pack and within five minutes scored an unconverted try from a scrum five.
Barry immediately responded with a long-range penalty goal by Chris Cummings but fell further when Taffs Well, taking full advantage of defensive lapses, scored two converted tries.
As the game approached half-time, and following a fracas that saw two Barry players and one Taffs Well player yellow carded, each team scored a penalty bringing the score to 22 points to six.
The second half saw Barry, despite only having 13 men on the field, shock the visitors with an excellent try by centre Gareth Osborne, converted by Cummings.
With both teams returning to a full complement, Taffs Well - after taking advantage of a turnover - crossed for another converted try and a 16 point lead.
However, the home side, to their credit, continued to run at the opposition and following some excellent support play between the backs and the pack, Jason Evans was able to race over for a try, converted by Cummings.
With only a nine-point deficit, the local side launched a series of attacks on the Taffs Well line.
One of these attacks, however, broke down in the visitors' twenty two allowing them to set up a counter attack from which, following a touch line run by the left winger (whose feet touching the whitewash had been missed by the visitors' touch judge), was awarded a 'debateable' converted try.
This score was a body blow to Barry, and after Taffs Well took full advantage of a lucky bounce, they were soon a further converted try down.
However, Barry finally gained some reward for a hard and hot afternoon's work when Geraint Manning, aided by Jason Evans, put Marvin Cordle clear for a try, which was converted by Cummings with Barry's final game of the season ending in defeat by 43 points to 25.
PANEL
For Barry this season has proven to be one of consolidation, after the disappointment of relegation last year.
There is no doubt that the club have a group of young players, who are rich with rugby talent and athletic ability and they will have benefited greatly from another challenging year of league rugby.
Their challenge now, as individuals and as a team, is whether they have the desire to develop that talent, over the coming seasons and, hopefully, with Barry RFC.
It is fair to day that Barry made a strong start to the season, losing only one of their first eight games.
Unfortunately, as in previous seasons, injuries and unavailability had a negative impact on the coaches' desire to field a consistent starting XV.
It was however pleasing to see how the 2nd XV players (and some old friends!), who were drafted in at short notice, turned out for the 1st XV and gave 100 per cent for the cause.
Hopefully, these guys will be around next season and start training on a regular basis.
During the course of the season there were some noteworthy performances such as the 64-0 demolition of Cowbridge, with some clinical and expansive rugby.
The hard fought physical 3-3 draw with eventual league winners Bedlinog (Barry were the only side to take any points off them) in atrocious conditions, and the dramatic 23-22 win over Aberdare, on a pitch that resembled the Serengeti.
Finally, coaches, Andrew Prosser and Darren Gibbon, and the spectators hope that the players will remain and train together so that they can build on the foundations and enhance the undoubted talent that is in the club.
Pre-season will probably start in July, everyone - old and new - welcome.
11:54am Thursday 19th April 2007
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