Sport – Power pack puts Barry RFC in control in ‘must win’ game
Admiral National League Division 1 East Central
Barry RFC 25 Ynysybwl 8
BARRY RFC’s dominant pack laid the foundations for this welcome and much-needed win over fellow strugglers Ynysybwl.
This was a vital and deserved victory after five straight defeats, but the delight was tempered by the team’s disappointment at not securing a bonus point try.
The win marked a welcome return to the Reservoir Field for the first time since mid-October, various postponements, including those caused by a waterlogged pitch, leaving Barry with a backlog of home fixtures.
For both sides this was a must-win match and it wasn’t until late in the first half that Barry began to assert their growing dominance. Head coach Mike Morgan said the pre-match focus had been on the forwards to get Barry into the game. They did just that.
“Full credit to our pack, who just grew into the game,” said Morgan. “Confidence just grew and grew, and towards the end of the second half we had dominance in the scrum, not just because Ynysybwl were tired.”
With Barry’s forwards putting in the hard yards, Ynysybwl spent long spells on the back foot. Overall, the set piece worked well, Barry’s dominance there creating the platform for three excellent tries.
Barry went ahead in the first minute, with Owen Rees converting a penalty from just inside the Ynysybwl 22. He added a second from a similar position in the 25th minute. But Barry were caught cold by a quickly-taken penalty 10 minutes later, Joseph Williams scoring out wide.
Flynn Baker went over in the corner, after good handling ended a spell of pressure on the visitors’ line in the 40th minute, Owen Rees superbly converting to give Barry a 13-5 interval lead. Ynysybwl hit back with a wind-assisted long-range penalty from Williams in the first minute of the second half, but Barry shrugged that off in style.
Josh Trewartha ended intense scrum pressure with a try in the 49th minute, converted by Owen Rees. Chris Lockyer got the third, wide out, in the 62nd minute, rounding off excellent handling by the backs, the conversion hitting the upright.
Barry are two points above Ynysybwl with four games in hand, and four points above bottom-of-the-table Rhiwbina with two games in hand. Barry visit Rhiwbina on Saturday 23rd March.
Ken Watkins
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