Fixture

Tries:  Provis, Mepham

Cons:  Robertson (2)

Barry opened their 2015/16 campaign as they hosted Cardiff Quins at Reservoir Field.

Coaches Rhidian Scott and Martin Tanner handed senior competitive debuts to four players, with Curtis Miller starting at number 8, Dylan Robertson at fly-half, Garth Peake on the wing, and Mitchell Scott awaiting on the substitutes’ bench.  

The new look side started nervously and began the game on the back foot, struggling to gain any territory or possession, with only Robertson’s boot an outlet.  Despite some good defending, a fumble on their own line saw Barry concede the first try which went unconverted.

Barry finally got into gear and put together some interlinking play between the centres Dave Provis and Dominic Busuttil, but whenever they threatened to up the ante, they fell foul of the referee’s whistle which was penalising the home side heavily in the contact area.

Instead the visitors increased their lead with a well-worked try out wide, and the conversion meant that Barry were 12-0 down at the interval.

The green-and-whites tried to reverse the momentum with the slope in their favour, and they tried to generate the opportunities which they created in the first half but spurned.  Poor decision making in the final third, together with loss of the ball in contact, saw the Quins break down the length of the field to score their third try to put the contest seemingly beyond doubt.

Worse was to follow for the home side as tempers flared with both coaching staff and playing staff losing their heads, resulting in Barry being reduced to fourteen men.

The Quins poured forward for their bonus point try and despite some good last ditch defending, it came after some persistent pressure to make the score 22-0.

With all hope lost Barry rallied late on, despite finishing the game with only thirteen men with Kyle Case forced off with an injury.  Their endeavour was rewarded by first a try from the evergreen Dave Provis, converted by Robertson, before Rhidian Mepham had the last say with a snipe through the centre to score near the posts.  Robertson’s conversion from a drop kick meant that the final score was 14-22.

Barry 2^nd XV will hope for better things to come as they travel to St Peters next weekend.

Team:  Flynn; Russell, Provis, Busuttil, Peake; Robertson, Mepham; Fortt, Turnbull, Ring; Dutton, Lloyd Jones; Lee Jones, Case ©, Miller

Replacements:  Thomas, Evans, Scott

Sub not used:  Chow

Man-of-the-match:  Provis