Two late yellow cards cost Barry in ‘courageous performance’

WRU Division Two Cup, second round - Gwernyfed 30, Barry RFC 20

2 minutes read

“BITTERLY disappointed that we lost, but it was a courageous performance,” was the verdict of head coach Mike Morgan, after seeing his team, hit by an early red card and two late yellow cards, come within a few minutes of clinching a place in the next round of the competition.

Barry, with a hat-trick of tries from man-of-the-match Alyn Evans underlining the team’s forward power, and a conversion and penalty from Morgan Prosser, were leading 20-16 with the match in the last quarter when they were reduced to 12 players.

Hat-trick man Alyn Evans in the thick of the action. Picture: Barry RFC — **| Hat-trick man Alyn Evans in the thick of the action.** *Picture: Barry RFC*

Gwernyfed predictably took advantage of the inevitable gaps in defence. “We were in a position where we were winning, and Gwernyfed only got on top of us near the end when we were down to 12 men, and you can’t defend that,” said Morgan.

He was full of praise for his players. “I don’t think I’ve coached a more courageous team. Horrendous weather, decisions going against us, but it didn’t faze them. They kept fighting. In the face of adversity they didn’t back down an inch. We just kept going and going, and it wasn’t until the last 10 minutes we lost the game.”

Morgan puts this down to a change in the psyche of the players. “Before, I think decisions going against us would have hurt us and changed our mindset. But now we dust it off and get on with the next job. The players are able to work past decisions. We control what we can control.”

Barry had to make changes, with Jack Reid and Owen Rees ruled out through injury from the previous week, and other players unavailable. Maverick Jennings, in for Reid, performed well in his second senior appearance, proof of Barry’s strength in depth, until suffering an injury late in the first half.

Rhys Forse was given a red card early in the first half. “He said he was being croc rolled,” said Morgan, and the reaction to it was ruled a punch by the referee. “But even when we went down to seven in the scrum we were still pushing them back.”

Barry had worked on the driving lineouts and mauls, “and they paid dividends, and the backs were getting some lovely yards for us,” added Morgan. “We were playing tactically well, and even when we are down the game plan still works.”

It did, until yellow cards for Josh Edwards and Cam Williams handed a massive advantage to the hosts, who cashed in with two late tries to snatch the game away from brave Barry.

*Rhydyfelin’s Division One Cup match against Llantrisant was postponed at the weekend and will now be played on Saturday (31st October), leaving Barry without a fixture, and their next league match, at Cowbridge, is not until 21st November. The club are hoping to fix up a home friendly, possibly against Brynmawr, on 7th November.

By Ken Watkins

News, Letters, Sport and advertising are welcomed by the Glamorgan Star – the largest newspaper or magazine in the Vale of Glamorgan. Contact us today here.