Bishop's Stortford 1st XV 12 Barnes 41

The home side were clearly determined to prove that, despite an even longer injury list and one or two key absences for other reasons, that they are not to be taken lightly by anyone. They battled hard throughout against a Barnes team that, despite very difficult playing conditions, played some excellent and remarkably controlled rugby. As a result they were able to capitalise ruthlessly on two defensive lapses after 3 and 27 minutes to register tries by hooker, Austin and right wing, Sayer. The second, although scored out much wider than the first was converted by 13, Tousili, as he found his range, having missed a couple of eminently kickable penalties in the meantime. Stortford were forced into extensive periods of defending deep in their own half and did particularly well to weather ten minutes with 14 men, after winger, Lewis Codling had been yellow-carded only 5 minutes into the game for a late challenge on his opposite number after he had kicked ahead.It took 34 minutes for the home side to mount its first concerted assault on the Barnes line - the only significant threat prior to that having come from a typical long range solo thrust from fullback, Jimmy Rae. Stortford were not to be denied on this occasion, however, and after the forwards had gone through many phases close to the visitors' line, the ball was briefly switched left by the backs for the forwards to pile in once again and drive flanker, Richard Gill over for a well-deserved try. Codling kicked the conversion to narrow the gap to only 5 points. Barnes surged back onto the attack, but more dogged defence held them out until the very end of the half, when flyhalf, Davies took full advantage of the slippery conditions to wrong-foot three defenders, as he side-stepped his way to touch down under the posts. The conversion by Tousili took the score at the break to 7-19.

In the second half, Stortford found it increasingly hard to win possession, as Barnes' dominance at the scrum extended into the lineout and repeated penalties conceded at breakdowns made life even harder. The first score of the half came after 5 minutes with a converted try to openside, Smythe from a rolling maul after another penalty for going off their feet at a ruck. Life was made harder still for the home side 24 minutes into the half, when hooker, Rob Faiers was yellow-carded for collapsing a maul on the Stortford line. Another unconverted try followed for Barnes after 25 minutes, when right wing, Sayer slid over out wide from a maul set up after 2 successive 5 metre lineouts. Undaunted, Stortford fought back and Gill, once again touched down for an unconverted try when, for once, the Barnes backs mishandled, with their flyhalf dropping a pass from a 5 metre scrum and the flanker pounced on the loose ball. Barnes continued to exert ever more pressure, however and forced their way back into the home 22. Two decisions at set scrums in quick succession brought the next try after 30 minutes, when the ref. first deemed a scrum to have been legitimately wheeled by the visitors, despite the great speed with which this happened and then immediately awarded a penalty try for the first collapse at the next scrum - albeit, by then, right on the Stortford line! The conversion attempt was charged down by Rea. The respite was relatively short-lived, however, when Sayer completed his hat-trick after 37 minutes, following some impressive handling by his inside backs. Stortford had to play out the remaining minutes again with 14 men, when second row, Dave Aldam was yellow-carded - apparently for ill-manners, as he found the ref in his way as he attempted to make yet another of many cover tackles.

Mercedes Man of the Match for Stortford after his two tries and non-stop efforts throughout the game was Richard Gill, though on this day of pride restored, there were fifteen strong candidates with Jack Knowles and Dave Aldam particularly prominent.

Next week, the opposition are league leaders, Hertford who, on this form cannot expect an easy ride - providing we can patch together 18 remotely fit men!!