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Barry were made to work hard for this bonus point victory, their third on the spin, which lifted the Bombers to fourth in the division. Ynysybwl may be struggling at the foot of the table, having now suffered four straight defeats, but they provided a healthy test.

The Bombers raced into a 15-0 lead after just nine minutes with some fine, flowing attacking moves, but any illusions that an easy and comfortable victory was on the cards were soon dispelled as Ynysybwl battled back in the middle of the first half.

But Barry defended well, and were able to reassert themselves later in the half, adding another 13 points before Ynysybwl responded with a try on the stroke of half-time. That was the end of the scoring, but it also signalled a shift in momentum.

Head coach Liam Scott had warned before the game that Ynysybwl would be in the fight for the whole 80 minutes, and they were. But despite enjoying more territory and possession in the second half, they were unable to prove as incisive as Barry had been in the first.

Barry, it has to be said, added to their own discomfort after the break. “We were missing touch, missing tackles. They were carrying and gaining five metres and putting us under pressure,” said Scott. “One positive to take from it. We didn’t capitulate, didn’t lose composure, put our bodies on the line and shut them out in the second half.”

The second half was all too frequently punctuated by stoppages as players on both sides needed treatment, Ynysybwl enjoying the majority of territory between holdups. But Barry’s excellent battling defence kept them at bay.

“The boys’ desire and heart to shut them out was just brilliant,” said Scott. “But we shouldn’t have found ourselves in that position.”

Kyle Barros landed a penalty in the fourth minute, and Barry followed up with a flowing move from the restart, Luke O’Sullivan going over wide out. And in the ninth minute, after a swift handling move was halted just short, Aled Rees reacted swiftly to cut through, Barros converting.

Dave Provis finished off a lengthy forwards drive in the 30th minute, before Aron Arthur shrugged off a couple of tackles in the 36th minute, then wasn’t held, and ran in for the bonus point try. A second penalty from Barros completed Barry’s scoring before a brief spell of pressure saw Chester Reeves score in the corner for the hosts.

*Barry can expect a tough game on Saturday when League 1 East leaders Newbridge visit the Reservoir Field in the Division One Cup. The Bridge have started their league season with four bonus point wins.