Barry banish the blues (From Barry And District News)

Barry banish the blues

7:50am Thursday 4th March 2010

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DERI RFC 7

BARRY RFC 39

BARRY travelled to Deri last Saturday for a fixture re-arranged from the mini ice age of last autumn.

With the home side in fourth position in the league, they were expecting a strong challenge to their unbeaten record.

To their credit Barry’s mindset was absolutely spot on. The pack set about their task with a will, putting the Deri eight under severe pressure in all aspects of the game.

What illustrated this superiority most dramatically was the way in which the home side was shunted back at the tight scrums.

Hard work and ability from the front row of Brown, Hollister and Hunt, ably assisted by the other five forwards, gave Deri no breathing space or time to re-group. Every move had an intensity that had not been present in recent games.

All Barry players were intent on playing their part and imposing their will on proceedings. This momentum gave the away backs an armchair ride, compared with that being experienced by their opposite numbers.

Whilst generally operating smoothly, the Barry half backs were strangely laboured and hesitant in getting the ball out wide, where they clearly had the measure of their opponents.

Two penalties kicked by the captain gave Barry a 6-point lead after the first quarter of play and an accidental injury to the Deri full back gave them more problems, which they could clearly have done without.

With half an hour gone, Barry maintained their discipline and then started to dominate the lineouts.

This enabled Cummings to turn pressure into points, with two more penalties and a drop goal keeping the scoreboard ticking over.

Barry had played the first half with self-confidence and concentration; they had displayed arrogance, which is essential to any successful side.

The second half opened with more forward pressure creating an opportunity for scrum half, Lee, to dart over near the posts for a try which was easily converted.

The back row of Owain Brown, Matthew George and particularly Hywel Jones were creating havoc in the Deri defence.

Tempers were becoming frayed, resulting in yellow cards for one player from each side.

After 20 minutes of the second half, the referee granted Deri passive scrums, since they were not able to field a competent front row.

It seemd to Barry that passive scrums were mirrored by some 'passive refereeing' – with a blatant infringement being recognised and lamented by Deri players, the arbiter missed the knock-on of the season, when he allowed a player following up to drop on the ball for a try!

Further Barry penalties and a converted try finished the business of the day, but unfortunately they had not gained that elusive bonus point.

But they had reacted to the criticism of last week’s performance in the clearest and positive way possible. Credit is due to players and coaches alike.

The game this Saturday is at home against Old Penarthians with kick-off at 2.30pm.

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