DINAS POWYS 0

BARRY RFC 39

BARRY RFC kicked off the New Year in style with a 39-point demolition of local rivals Dinas Powys.

After narrowly losing their previous match to the Old Penarthians in the Swalec Cup Bowl, Barry were keen to continue their assault on Division Five South East.

After a frustrating first half, Barry opened the floodgates in the second scoring 26 unanswered points on a bitterly cold afternoon at Dinas Powys.

The game got off to slow and scrappy start with several missed opportunities until inside centre, Dave Provis opened the scoring with a finely taken try.

A huge effort by the Barry pack turned a Dinas scrum against the head and Barry were subsequently awarded a penalty and kicked to touch.

The lineout was won and standing flat, fly half Chris Cummings expertly delayed his pass to Provis who sliced through the Dinas defence to score beneath the posts. Cummings converted and moments later kicked a penalty to extend the lead to 10-0.

Barry now began to take a stranglehold on the game and launched several attacks. An excellent chip into space by fullback Rhys Hardy put severe pressure on the Dinas back three, but the opportunity was lost when second row Thomas Haigh was controversially penalised and sin-binned for a swinging arm.

Fourteen man Barry were not disheartened and continued to exert pressure on Dinas with several notable carries by the Barry pack. Cummings kept the scoreboard ticking over with a neatly taken drop goal before half time to make the score 13-0.

The second half saw Barry play more accurate and clinical rugby. The pack continued their good play into the second half and provided a solid platform for the backs to play from.

An excellent break by the centres took them deep into Dinas' half and the ball was recycled through several phases. Tom Lee looked to have scored after dashing over from close range but Barry were penalised for blocking and the try disallowed.

However it did not take long for Barry to cross the line again. Dinas missed touch and Hardy set off on a counter attack; after penetrating the Dinas defence the ball was spread wide for Provis to score his second try of the match.

Moments later Barry further extended their lead when dynamic flanker Owain Brown was quick to the breakdown to run in from 20 metres unopposed. A young Dinas XV were now beginning to look a beaten team and were running out of ideas.

The more experienced Barry had several more opportunities to extend their lead but were let down by poor handling.

However, in the final quarter, Barry once again found their clinical edge.

Giving an open side master class, Owain Brown tackled and then turned the ball over.

The ball was swiftly spread to winger Peter O'Sullivan to score in the corner extending the lead to 32-0.

Barry still had time to build on their lead. A strong blindside break by Cummings put Dinas on the back foot, and the ball came wide to Hardy hitting the line at pace.

The fullback stepped the covering defence to score Barry's fourth try of the half, which Cummings easily converted.

The win sees Barry extend their lead at the top of the table with Cilfynydd RFC 10 points adrift with three games in hand.

Barry's next game is away at Canton RFC this Saturday.

BARRY 2ND XV 15

PONTYCLUN 2ND XV 17

BARRY RFC 2nd XI got the New Year off to a fine start last Saturday with a good home performance against Pontyclun, a side they had beaten in the away fixture back in November.

With South Wales' pitches in general unplayable due to a deep ground frost, the perennially playable Reservoir Field warmly hosted the visitors.

Choosing to play uncontested scrums, down the slope and with the bright sun in Barry¹s eyes, Ponty kicked off and immediately put the pressure on with their experienced mobile pack.

It was a baptism by fire for the young looking Barry squad.

Nonetheless their defence held firm and when the ball was spun out wide Ponty struggled to answer the continual thrusting attacks by the Barry backs.

Barry opened the scoring with an unconverted try by Luke Rees, who finished off a well rehearsed double switch move by the centre threequarters.

This lead was stretched even further when, following five phases of drives by the forwards deep into Ponty territory, scrum half Joel Williams quickly released the backs who stretched the defence giving Alex Evans an easy run in out wide.

Once again the awkward angle of the conversion made it difficult for Adam Lee, who narrowly missed.

Alex Evans was denied his second try shortly after through poor touch judging and a wrongly applied ELV.

The quick pace of the game and ferocity cost Barry dearly in replacements and in a sudden change of fortune Ponty were on the scoreboard.

Following a set of phases when Barry could not wrench the ball from the visiting forwards, a series of drives were rewarded with a try beneath the home side's posts making the conversion simple.

The second half saw early attacks from Ponty come up trumps when reinforcements from the bench saw several fresh players take to the field, this new impetus putting Barry under immense pressure and culminating in Ponty¹s newly arrived powerhouse of a flanker bursting through tackles to score an unconverted try.

Barry were not so fortunate with the number of substitutes to hand and when Nathan Gill drove over from 5 yards out to put Barry back ahead with an unconverted try it proved to be his last play of the game.

Barry's third and final replacement, linesman and veteran Geoff Williams took to the field and shored up the second row, his knowledge and experience proving priceless.

You could be forgiven for wondering why he is not available every week.

With no reserves Barry held on desperately to their slender lead, despite the repeated attacks by the new Ponty back row who surely should be regarded contenders for their first team next week.

It was this trio who eventually broke through the Barry defence, releasing their centre to score their third try which went unconverted.

The final score was 17-15 to the visitors. Once again Barry can only wonder what the outcome would have been if their strong front row of James W Ashley Haragadon and Lee Turnbull had been allowed to compete.

This Saturday there will be a pool fixture, tba.