News

Report by Ken Watkins

Admiral National League Division 1 East Central

Barry RFC 20 Mountain Ash 12

Barry’s burgeoning self-belief brought a deserved bonus point victory at the Reservoir Field on Saturday, their fourth win on the spin maintaining an unbeaten start to the league season. 

Not that it came easy. Mountain Ash, last season’s champions, are a strong side, and they showed it in a late fightback which had the Bombers under pressure, some of it, admittedly, self-inflicted.

Last season Barry might have wilted. This season they are made of much sterner stuff, and winning is becoming a welcome habit. Now, of course, it’s vital they maintain the consistency of performance they showed for much of Saturday’s well-refereed game.

“I’ve always known we had ability in the squad,” said head coach Liam Scott. “It’s about having belief. This is what we can do when we believe. The challenge for us is to always keep that level of passion.

“It was a total team effort. Take away the last 20 minutes when lineouts were going amiss, through fatigue more than anything else, both elements and units played well together, which got us the result.”

Barry resolved their early scrum problems in a tightly contested first half, and chances were few, both sides scoring one try before the interval. But from 5-5, Barry accelerated away in the second half, adding three more tries before Mountain Ash started their fightback midway through.

Under pressure, certainly, but after Mountain Ash had pulled it back to 20-12, Barry’s total determination kept them at bay. “The last 20 minutes, it was ‘let’s keep them out’,” said Scott. An attitude that denied the visitors a losing bonus point.

Einan Scott gave Barry the lead following a quickly-taken penalty by Aled Rees in the 13th minute, Steffan Calderbank replying 11 minutes later when the Mountain Ash scrum drove over the line.

Alyn Evans put Barry back in front two minutes into the second half, Barry driving over after a penalty lineout. Tom Perry’s break from defence set up the chance for Aron Arthur in the 54th minute, and Perry got the bonus point try in the 56th minute following a quickly-taken penalty. 

In reply James Cowdry scored from a catch and drive in the 63rd minute, Callum Hall converting, but Mountain Ash were unable to cut the deficit still further as Barry once again showed their battling spirit and determined defence to secure the victory. 

*A minute’s silence was observed before the match in memory of former player and club captain Alun Jones.

*Barry have no game on Saturday, having withdrawn from the Division One Cup. Division 2 East Central Llanishen are the visitors on November 5 in the Mallett Cup.

*Barry’s Dominic Busuttil captained Malta against Bulgaria in their opening home European Rugby Conference 1 South Division fixture on October 15, Malta losing 23-14. Busuttil was on the bench for the visit to Slovenia on Saturday, Malta winning 46-10.