Barnes 24 Bishop's Stortford 1st XV 29

The home side definitely got off to the better start and, after only 4 minutes were 7 points ahead. Winger, Ant Wilde broke a tackle and touched down under the Stortford posts after a series of well structured phases, involving both backs and forwards stretched the visitors' defence following a poor kick out of defence. It took very litle time, though for Stortford to fight their way back into the game and after 7 minutes centre, John Stocker exploited a stretched defence to fend off a tackler to go over for a try under the posts. The position had been created by a tremendous bust up the middle by hooker, Declan Caulfield off a smart inside pass from flyhalf, Tom Coleman, backed up by some concerted support, as the visitors went quickly through 3 or 4 more phases. Coleman duly converted to level the scores. Stortford enjoyed the better of the exchanges over the next quarter of an hour and, but for a narrow penalty miss by Coleman and a last ditch tap tackle on flanker, Hugh Michell, could have been 10 points ahead. Instead, Barnes fought back and, after Stortford had failed to capitalise on a series of excellent lineout takes against the throw, the home side managed to win a rare ball inside the visitors' 22 and some determined and well-orchestrated running around the fringes from both backs and forwards stretched the defence and a break through the middle required only a simple hand-off to the Barnes inside centre for him to touch down under the posts. The routine conversion took them again out to a 7 point lead 30 minutes into the game, but a tremendous penalty goal from Coleman after 35 minutes narrowed the gap, following a Barnes offence at a set scrum out wide on the left. Four minutes later and the visitors snatched the lead, as scrumhalf, Sam Coleman not only halted a threatening Barnes attack by stripping a forward cleanly of the ball, as he thrust deep into the Stortford 22, but immediately set off downfield, outstripping the close cover and swerving between two covering defenders around the other 22 to score a fantastic solo try under the posts. His brother's conversion took his side to a 3 point lead, which was carried through into halftime, as Barnes missed an eminently kickable penalty from a breakdown offence on the Stortford 22.

Stortford were soon under pressure in the second half, after they failed to take the restart kick cleanly and it took some stern defence and a crucial Barnes knock-on for the home side to be thwarted. After more aggressive Stortford tackling forced another knock-on, Marcus Cattell quickly seized on the resultant loose ball and an immediate pass to fellow centre, Stocker saw the latter take full advantage with a pinppoint grubber kick to the corner, which the home fullback could only carry into touch on his own line. A typically clinical Stortford lineout set the platform for a powerful driving maul, which saw prop, Adam Gelman touch down for a try out wide after 12 minutes of the half. Coleman's conversion attempt went narrowly wide. The visitors were unlucky 4 minutes later not to add to the score, when the referee awarded them a penalty immediately for a breakdown offence, even though Michell was clear through, with the try line at his mercy. When Coleman's kick at goal went narrowly wide, it meant that a full 7 points had gone begging. His side, nevertheless, stormed back onto the attack and, following a great run by fullback, Sam Winter another tremendous drive from his pack saw the Barnes line crossed again, but the ball was held up. The referee called play back for a penalty against the homeside's openside flanker and skipper, Simon Givens for having entered the maul at the side, for which he also received a yellow card. Despite going for touch and winning the lineout, the visitors were unable to drive home their numerical advantage and some stout home defence resulted eventually in a penalty at a breakddown against Stortford and valuable breathing space was gained. The visitors were soon back on the attack, but again failed to capitalise on possession on the home 5 metre line, following an excellent up and under kick from Stocker and a great chase by Winter. Another penalty was conceded to allow Barnes once more to escape from their own 22 and they indeed managed to mount a couple of threatening attacks of their own. The next decisive move came, however from Stortford, as Stocker burst through a gap well inside his own half and tremendous support from Winter saw the home line again under threat. This time there was no escape, as Tom Coleman was able to force his way over for a try close to the posts, despite having to take on 3 defenders from an almost stationary position. His own conversion took Stortford out to a 14-29 lead with barely a quarter of an hour left to go. The side looked briefly to be in control, but Barnes were not to be easily denied and they fought their way back into the match, refinding their driving multi-phased game of the opening period to exert considerable pressure on the visitors' defence. A rather soft penalty conceded by Stortford for entering a ruck at the side in midfield allowed the opposition to gain a good touch well into the Stortford 22 and took full advantage with theor own driving maul from at least 10 metres out to score a try out wide after 35 minutes. A great conversion attempt unluckliy bounced back off the far post. Barnes were now on the rampage and eventually found a rare poor Stortford tackle in midfield to create an overlap, which was ruthlessly exploited. The conversion again was missed in what turned out to be the final event of the match, leaving the final score at 24-29.

This was a tremendous match of cut and thrust, with both sides looking to play a fast and expansive game and, although the narrowness of their victory perhaps did not fully reflect the edge that Stortford enjoyed for long periods of the game, it would be hard to begrudge Barnes the 2 bonus points that their late fightback won.