LAST week’s game saw Barry entertain Nantymoel in the Swalec Bowl Cup. The game was tinged with expectation as both sides were yet to be beaten this season with identical records.

The opening exchanges showed a touch of nerves from both sides as opposing kickers tested each other in a territorial battle.

A change of tactic from the visitors was to prove costly as from their first attempt to move the ball in hand broke down, the loose ball was swept up by Perry to score the opening try duly converted by Scott.

However this setback saw Nantymoel begin to settle into their game and for the next 10 minutes began to pressurise the Barry scrum and dominate loose play helped by some poor decision making on the field.

When a side possess two outstanding kickers at 10 and 15 who also had pace as Nantymoel had, it makes no sense to kick down their throats giving them the opportunity to counter attack either through the boot or by hand.

Despite one or two forays by the forwards, Barry was on the back foot not helped by the early loss of winger Jones with a serious facial injury to be replaced by O'Sullivan. Full credit to the home defence during this period held out against the constant attacks of the visitors who were proving to be a well drilled and organised opponent.

The match was changed in a five minute spell as the visitors ran in two tries both coming as a result of counter attacks from loose defensive kicking, giving Nantymoel a 14-7 lead on the half hour.

The efficiency of the visitors was causing Barry to hurry things creating basic errors in the team and it was no surprise when they went further behind before half time from another counter attack to put the difference to 14 points.

The one thing that the Barry side shows this year is character and the early exchanges in the second half showed they had no intention of losing their record without a fight.

Having made changes through tactics or injury Vidal and Poole joined the fray as the home side tried to reduce the deficit. This nearly happened when a charge down by Barry's threequarters attacked and looked certain to score only for the referee to adjudge the final pass to be forward.

Despite this pressure the home side were finding it difficult to break a stubborn defence even when reduced to 14 men through a yellow card.

They were not be denied and following good linking play the ball was moved to White who despite a juggle or two crashed over for a try which went unconverted.

Still needing two scores Barry were penalised at the restart giving Nantymoel the opportunity to widen the gap which they duly did to 12 points.

This setback only fired Barry up and they began to play a more up tempo game causing some panic in the visitors’ ranks and a second yellow card.

Attacking from every opportunity Barry got to within five points of the lead following some forward driving play gave Vidal the try which Scott converted.

The match entered its final 10 minutes and whilst Barry had the upper hand they were unable to get the decisive score and conceded one final penalty which made the final score 27-19 in the visitors favour.

Next Saturday December 20, Barry will play Old Penarthians in a rearranged league fixture, kick off at 2.30pm.