Fixture

Barry's League season kicked off Last Saturday when they entertained newly promoted Taffs Well in an enthralling encounter which saw the home side snatch victory in the dying seconds of the game by 35 - 32.

An early penalty from Kyle Barross gave Barry the perfect start which they gradually built on and after twenty minutes had increased the lead to eighteen points.

Following the penalty a fine kick put Barry deep into the visitors 22 and while they lost the ensuing lineout, a loose clearance was  pounced on by the Barry backs who created an overlap to send Dom Bussutil across the line for a fine try which went unconverted.

Taffs Well attempts to get into the game were being thwarted by a mixture of indiscipline and a stubborn well organised home defence and they went further behind to a Kyle Barross penalty after another Barry counter attack was halted illegally.

With a significant weight advantage in the scrum Taffs began exerting some pressure with driving lineouts and should have scored, had they not continued to infringe on the floor.They also missed with a kick at goal moments later and Barry stayed 11 point in front.

They were to increase that lead after weathering a difficult ten minutes as they set up an attack involving both backs and forwards which took play near the visitors line. Despite being held, the recycled ball saw Jacob Brooke crash through for a good team try, and with a conversion from wide out by Kyle Barross. Barry had earned themselves a healthy lead.

However the lead was not something Barry could sit on, and they were soon under pressure having failed to regain the restart and 

conceding a penalty which took play into their 22. A further penalty for offside saw  the visitors open their scoring with an easy kick.

Moments later they doubled the score after loose Barry kicking led to another penalty in front of the posts.

The pressure was  maintained in the closing minutes of the half, a period in which Barry lost captain James Hadfield to injury. and the visitors again drove the lineout and this time crossed for a try which when converted brought the score 18 - 13.

Barry had one final chance to score as the half ended when awarded a penalty on half way, but for some reason chose not to take it as the whistle went to end an exciting 40 minutes of rugby.

The second half started with the opinion that the next score for either side could be crucial and it turned out it would be Barry to 

score.

Barry's counter attacking had proved effective in the first half and they used it to great effect in the opening minutes of the second.After a cross kick to the visitors corner came to nothing, the ball was cleared to the Barry 22.

Taking the visitors by surprise, Barry countered with pace where the ball found Luke O'Sullivan some 50m from the line, who with pace and skill evaded all would be tacklers to cross for a superb try which Kyle Barross converted putting them 12 points in front.

However the elation was short lived as a bizarre referee decision was to cost Barry 7 points.A speculative kick from the visitors was touched down by Barry in goal.Somehow the referee decided the ball was carried back and awarded a 5m scrum from which Taffs Well scored and the gap was back to 5 points.

Barry went off the boil for a few minutes and began to concede penalties putting pressure on themselves and this proved to be costly as from a lineout in the Barry 22, Taffs Well tied in the home defence and crossed unopposed for a converted try and take the lead for the first time in the game.

This seemed to spur Barry on and they worked their way out of trouble to earn a penalty on half way.This time it was Einan Scott who put the kick over to put Barry in the lead by a single point.

Barry made changes to the front row and maintained the pressure on the visitors and  a penalty chance at goal just missed the posts.

Unfortunately Barry failed to gather the restart allowing the visitors to make gains into the home 22 where they camped and a succession of scrums and lineouts finally saw them drive over for a unconverted try but crucially a 4 point lead as the minutes ticked away.

It's become the norm over the past two seasons that there is a steely backbone to Barry and again it was obvious they were not going to give up without a fight.

From the restart they began probing and pushing for a break, initially being met with a determined Taffs Well defence.A penalty gave Barry a foothold in the visitors 22 where they stayed.Forward drives for the line proved fruitless but they were not to be denied.Finally deciding to spread the ball wide, quick hands saw the ball reach Dylan Robertson who rounded the last defender wide out to touch down under the posts giving Kyle Barross an easy conversion and Barry were ahead 35 - 32.

The conversion was the last act as the referee blew the final whistle on what was an exciting season opener with congratulations to both sides for a highly competitive game.

Next saturday Barry travel to play St Peters in Cardiff, kick off 2.30pm where I'm Barry will be looking for revenge after the Rocks did the double on them last season.

The Club Lottery rolls over to £2500 this week as last weeks numbers of 10 - 11 - 14 and 18 were not matched.One ticket matched 3 numbers to win £10.