Brave 15 struggle in the falling snow (From Barry And District News)

Brave 15 struggle in the falling snow

OVER THE last six or seven years that Barry have been required to play North Wales teams it has always been a struggle in trying to get anything near a full strength side to travel.

The first Saturday of this new year was no exception, with in fact only a bare 15 players able to leave the changing room at Ruthin.

This resulted in the match having to be played under'passive scrum regulations,' there being no front row replacement cover.

Not ideal, but better than not playing the game, as happened with the Tonyrefail fixture postponed prior to Christmas, and the likely deduction of three points by the WRU in the future from Barry's league tally.

Full credit to those who did travel there and back on the day with an eight-hour coach trip.

Particular praise is due to fringe players like Dave Oxenham, Daf Brown and especially Tom Griffiths, who travelled a distance to get to Barry in the first place.

Conditions were bleak at kick-off time, with the floodlights on and snow falling. Matters seemed even bleaker when Ruthin were 19 points ahead within as many minutes through three tries, two of which were converted, as Barry struggled to run the coach journey out of their legs.

They became more involved in the game with better attacking options, and Dave Provis was able to capitalise on a mid-field fumble by the home side, sprinting 25 metres for a corner try.

Within minutes, as lock John Campbell was off-field receiving treatment for a facial injury, and Ruthin seemed to relax, No 8 Jason Evans took full advantage to score out wide and bring his side right back into contention.

Stand-in kicker Joe McCann was unsuccessful with the difficult conversion attempt.

A changing room break at half-time gave players the opportunity to thaw out and listen to their coaches' praise and instructions for the second half. Pack leader John Haskell and captain for the day James Haddon urged on their team mates.

Despite trailing further to a Ruthin penalty early in the second half, Barry came within scoring range inside 15 minutes of the restart.

On Ruthin being reduced to 14 men for a yellow card offence, Barry took immediate advantage when, from close range, Mark Evans gave Provis a neat, short pass for him to dive over in the corner for an unconverted try.

On occasions thereafter, Barry pressurised the home try line, with the best opportunity for a charge-down by winger Rhys Hardy - only for the dead ball line to deprive him of a score.

Unfortunately Ruthin were able to score a converted try in the closing moments to clinch victory.

A brave effort by a scratch 15 with all players giving of their best, with the stand-ins giving even more effort than could have been expected of them.

This Saturday, league leaders Treherbert visit the Reservoir Field for a 2.30pm kick-off to try to avenge their shock home defeat early in the season.