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Perhaps the best thing that can be said about this game was that it was a win, which lifted Barry to sixth. The floodlights on the Cardiff University sports campus sparkled on Friday night, but sadly the same cannot be said of the match.

If the narrow, but frustrating, defeat at Cambrian Welfare a week earlier had been highly entertaining, this match, the result apart, won’t linger long in the memory. Too many errors, some questionable official decisions, made for a disjointed scrap.

While head coach Liam Scott was happy to get a win after two defeats, he was “not happy about the way we went about it. At times we did everything possible to lose the game. It was disappointing in terms of overall performance.”

Barry had a poor first half, spending much of it defending, but the Bombers dug in, keeping Rhiwbina at bay until the 34th minute, when Joe MacPherson caught them out with a quickly taken penalty to touch down out wide. He added the conversion.

But the Bombers improved in the second half. “We played percentages and went through the phases,” said Scott. “We did that to good effect, and to win 14-10 against a team we haven’t beaten in several years is a major positive.”

Although the lineout once again proved a problem throughout for Barry, their dominant pack got them level after 46 minutes. Following a series of Rhiwbina scrum infringements in the red zone, Barry were awarded a penalty try. Amazingly, it was not accompanied by a yellow card for the hosts.

“The lineout is great in training,” said Scott,” but we just don’t execute in the heat of the game. We should be able to have a driving lineout as well as a dominant scrum. We’ve got to get better if we are going to compete in the long term.”

And after 60 minutes, following a poor Rhiwbina clearance, Jake Williams accelerated through the home defence to put Barry in front. Einan Scott, later helped off with a leg injury, converted. MacPherson replied with a penalty three minutes later, but the Bombers were in no mood to concede any more.

Barry are back in action on Saturday, 4 March, when struggling Ynysybwl visit the Reservoir Field. Barry will be looking for a double, having beaten the Bulls 28-5 in October. “The test,” said Scott, “is being able to back it up [Friday’s win] and maintain momentum before another two-week shutdown.” 

Report by Ken Watkins