Barnet Elzabethans 17 Bishops Stortford 32

With illness, injuries and 18th birthday party commitments four Under 17's backs were selected to complete a 19 man squad demonstrating the depth of quality running through the club.

The Colts playing up the slope started well without dominating and took the lead with a Barnes penalty from 35 metres out after Barnet transgressed in a ruck. Instead of building on the lead, some loose tackling allowed Barnet to camp on the Colts line and finally break through with the inside centre touching down despite a number of tacklers best efforts just to the left of the posts. The try was converted.

The Colts chased the kick off well with Alex White crunching a couple of Barnet players denying them territory. From the lineout a slick backs move launched Harry Barton through a gap in the centres and he sprinted passed the fullback to score in the corner. Barnes missed the extras as his kick slide past the upright to the left.

Despite strong runs from Jordan Albert, the Colts could not extend their lead as neither team were able to maintain much continuity and the half ended 8:7 to Stortford.

With the slope and a dipping bright sun and increasing dominance at the scrum, the 2nd half was set for the Colts to push on. Substitutes Will Moore, Chris Wright and Ali Moore replacing Jordan Moorby, Mattie Carey and Steve Eacott came on to add fresh legs to the team.

The Colts used their superior skills and direct running to push deep into the Barnet 22 and after driving the play to the right hand side, the ball was moved left and with 3 men to beat Alex White drove his way over wrestling the ball down to score. Harry Barnes converted to give 8 point lead.

Then instead of exerting territorial pressure the Colts tried to play expansive rugby in their own half. After an attempted clearance kick the Colts were penalised for being in front of a kick chase, irritatingly there was some backchat to the referee which moved the penalty within kick able range which Barnet converted. After the restart with the ball re-won at a defensive lineout the backs tried an ambitious passing move just outside their 22, the ball was dropped and Barnet raced to score. Despite both touch judges indicating the conversion had gone wide the referee awarded the 2 points for Barnet to take the lead 17:15.

Stung by the score the Colts stormed down the pitch maintained field position and after a number of probing attacks, good scrummage and lineout play a blind side attack by James Apperley and Will Moore created enough room for the openside Ali Moore to score in the corner. Despite the muddy conditions Harry Barnes converted from the touch line.

The restart was fielded well and the exit strategy, often practised in training, was executed perfectly driving the play well into Barnet territory. The Barnet lineout was stolen by James Apperley, passed down the back line and in their desperation Barnet were penalised at a ruck, somewhat harshly. Harry Barnes coolly slotted the penalty to take an 8 point lead (how Ireland could have done with with that points cushion last week). Teddy King came on to replace Callum McDonald on the wing.

The final 10 minutes, although not pretty, were played in the Barnet half as the Colts exerted real pressure and tactical know how. This including a cheeky grubber kick by the hooker Moore driving the Barnet team back into their own 22 and some strong blindside drives by the forwards. In the final play of the game, the ball was won cleanly at the lineout moved quickly along the backs and despite a pass not going to hand Sam Ainsworth picked the ball up the loose ball, sprinted past a couple of defenders, drew the last man and sent Teddy King racing clear to score the bonus point try. Harry Barnes completed the scoring with the conversion ending a 32 points to 17 win.

This match concluded the pre-Christmas league fixtures with wins over Hitchen, Teddington, Harrow and finally Barnet with a combined points tally of 126 scored and 29 conceded

The Colts Team :
Ainsworth, Albert, Barton, Bowden, McDonald, Barnes, Hugo, Harris, Simms, Moorby, Apperley, Carey, White, Eacott, Jones. Subs: W Moore, Wright, A Moore, King