AFTER five weeks without a game because of the autumn internationals it was back to business for the Barry 1st XV on Saturday when they travelled to Maes Gwyn for a league match against old rivals Taff’s Well RFC.

The expectations of the travelling Barry supporters for this fixture were naturally very high because of the team’s success this season where they have been unbeaten in seven outings with six wins and a draw. Taff’s Well, by comparison have only won two of their matches this season and so on paper it looked very promising for the visitors.

From the kick off Barry started the game very well and put immediate pressure on the home side. After five minutes or so of play the Taff’ s Well backs were ruled offside at a scrum and the Barry outside half Einan Scott made no mistake with the penalty kick. This early lead by Barry seemed to activate the home side and for the next 15 minutes or so they came back strongly and had the majority of the play.

This period of play put a lot of pressure on the Barry 15 with the result that mistakes were made and three penalties were awarded against them. The Taff’s Well outside half R Barrett who was causing Barry a lot of problems with his tactical kicking during this period made no mistake with all three kicks and put his side into a 9-3 lead.

Barry seemed to be shocked by being six points adrift and started to get their act together in the last quarter of the first half with some penetrating play. After 35 minutes a brilliant break by Einan Scott put centre Brad White charging towards the line for what seemed to be a certain try. Sadly it was not to be and Taff’s Well were awarded a relieving penalty kick for what appeared to be a crossing manoeuvre by the Barry backs.

It is fair to say that one of the main faults of the Barry side in the first half was that they seemed to be giving away too much ball by kicking into the opponents half rather than hanging on to the ball and setting up attacking opportunities for their backs to have a run. This enabled Taff’s Well to set up attacking movements of their own and it was during one of these, right on the stroke of half time that the Barry full back Danny Ryan was adjudged to have tackled the Taff’s Well centre without the ball and to the shock of the Barry and Taff’s Well supporters alike was shown a red card. If this was not enough Taff’s Well were also awarded a penalty try. With R Barrett making no mistake with the conversion the half time score was Taff’s Well 16 Barry three.

The half time chat by the Barry head coach Jon Bryant to his team is classified information but to those who heard snippets of it say it would not be suitable for general release. Whatever the contents it had a dramatic affect because Barry looked a different side altogether in the second half.

In the 45th minute playing numbers on both sides were equalised when the Taff’s Well scrum half was shown a red card. The ensuing penalty kick by E Scott was just wide and so the half time score of 16 - 3 remained.

Two minutes later however Scott made up for his missed kick with a penetrating little run to score Barry’s first try under the posts to which he added the extra two points. All of a sudden, game on, Taff’s Well 16 - Barry 10. Barry continued to attack and another excellent run and passing movement by Dave Provis and Brad White was stopped just short of the Taff’s Well line.

It was not long to wait however for another try by Barry. After a strong piece of scrummaging by the Barry pack flanker Luke O’Sullivan went over the line to score Barry’s second try which Einan Scott converted to make the score 16 - 17 and Barry were on the move.

From this moment on it is fair to say that Barry had most of the play with many an attack being launched on the Taff’s Well line. It was during one of these attacks that Barry centre Brad White made a terrific break from his own 25 yard line only to be deemed to have been held up on the Taff’s Well line.

From the resulting scrum however Hywel Jones scored Barry’s third try which Scott converted once again. Taff’s Well 16 - 24 Barry RFC

Barry continued to attack the Taff’s Well line and after a good take in the air and penetrating run by Dave Provis he slipped the ball to Einan Scott who scored a great try wide out to give his side a well deserved bonus point. The kick failed. Taff’s Well 16 - 29 Barry RFC.

To their credit Taff’s Well did not lie down and continued to attack Barry when giving the opportunity. Their outside - half R Barrett, who had a good game for the home side, continued to relieve the pressure on his side with long defensive kicks way into the Barry half and after 65 minutes play he slotted over a 45 yard penalty after a Barry player transgressed.

For the rest of the game it was all Barry and their efforts were rewarded once again when a Taff’s Well player was caught behind his own line with the ball after a long ranging kick by Owain Poole. From the resulting five yard scrum the ball was passed neatly through the Barry backs and Tom Perry scored a good try for Barry in the corner which was converted by Scott once again from wide out.

Taff’s Well 19 - 36 Barry RFC.

The final score of the day came after 75 minutes when after a good piece of forward play Barry hooker Alyn Evans went over for try number six which replacement outside half Richie O’Sullivan converted.

Final score Taff’s Well 19 - 43 Barry RFC

Team: A Evans, S Vidal, J Hollister, G Jones, J Oaten, O Poole, L O’Sullivan, H Jones, J Gallivan, E Scott, W Jones, T Perry, B White, D Provis and D Ryan.

Replacements (all used): N Lundy, J Flynn, J Giddings, T Lee and R O’Sullivan.

The next match is a cup game against Nantymoel RFC on Saturday, December 13, at the Reservoir Field. Kick- Off 2.30pm.