Llanishen 2nd XV 17-15 Barry 2nd XV

Tries: J Williams, J Evans

Cons: McCann

Pens: McCann

BARRY 2nd XV travelled to Llanishen more in hope than expectation following a spate of late withdrawals and a mounting injury list.

Coach Rhidian Scott and manager Ken Chow were forced to make seven changes to the side that started in the win over Llandaff last weekend. Mike Avaient and Jon Morris were drafted in from the 3rd XV whilst there was also a return for Dutton, Haskell and Alex Evans.

The damp conditions were making the game heavy viewing early on. Both sides had chances to open the scoring but opportunities were spurned by a combination of mediocre handling and poor decision making.

The home side had much of the territorial advantage in the first half despite playing up the slope, but found Barry’s defence in unrelenting mode. When they did breach the gain line and looked odds on to score, superb covering tackles by Rhidian Mepham and notably Dave Williams saw the attacks repelled.

Instead it was Barry who looked more dangerous breaking out from the back, and following a fine break by Mepham the ball was laid on a plate for Joel Williams with the line at his mercy, only for the scrum-half to comically drop the ball.

Barry finally got on the scoresheet with a well-taken Joe McCann penalty, but a lapse in concentration after the interval saw them 7-3 down after Llanishen scored a converted try.

The visitors continued to try to play rugby despite the lack of familiarity within the newly assembled back division, and it paid dividends when Williams atoned for his earlier error, ignoring a clear overlap to dance his way to the try line. McCann failed to add the extras.

The momentum was now with Barry, and with the introduction of James Sullivan and Tony Heard off the bench the scrum turned the screw. From one such set piece near the line, the Barry eight sauntered across for Jason Evans to score his third try of the season. McCann added the extras.

It was going to take something special from the hosts to come back from that deficit – or a Barry error – and it was unfortunately the latter that occurred. A long range penalty by the home side sailed wide, but as supposed to letting the ball go dead; Alex Evans tried to run the ball out from behind his try line, where he was forced to concede a penalty. This time the hosts made no mistake to narrow the deficit.

The momentum swung back to Llanishen and with Kyle Case lying injured, they utilised an overlap out wide to score the winning try. Barry attempted to rally at the death with just minutes left, but eventually ran out of ideas and time to lose the match 17-15.

Whilst it was a brave performance by a hastily assembled team, it was clear to the management that the lack of fitness and training told in the tight encounter. They would hope that this will be rectified in the forthcoming weeks before the 2nd XV return to action away to Rhiwbina on November 1.

Team: Mepham; D Evans, D Williams, A Evans, Avaient; McCann, J Williams (C); Corne, Turnbull, Haskell; Barclay, Dutton; Morris, Case, J Evans

Replacements: Sullivan, Heard, Bailey

Sub not used: E Evans

Man-of-the-match: Dutton