Canterbury……. 13
Barnes……………22
BARNES moved into the top three courtesy of a hard-fought, tense win against a home side which, after an excellent opening 40 minutes, failed to ignite in the second half.
This was always going to be close given the two sides’ league placings going into the tie, and so it proved to be, a bruising, bitty game not helped by challenging conditions.
In fact, such was the fine margin between the two teams, it effectively resulted in a shutout in the second half, Jack Martin’s penalty late on the only points.
Fortunately for the men from London, they’d done enough of the hard work in the first half to triumph.
TEAMS
CANTERBURY: Heatherley, Jones, Williams, Waddington, Orris, Reynolds, Farrance; Huntley, O’Donoghue, Frostick, Irvine, Stephens, Rogers, MacKenzie, Oliver Replacements: Morris, Herriott, Kenny, Thomas, King BARNES: McLean, Birch, O’Dell, Jones, Walker, Martin, Crabtree; Dean, Archer, Kane, Linsell, Murphy, Spencer-Jones, Kassapian, Hill Replacements: Ruddock, Hay, Christie, Haydon, Crabtree
REFEREE: Jack Sutton ATTENDANCE: 325
Star player Jack Martin -Barnes
Rory Kassapian and Lewis Jones both crossed the whitewash in the opening ten minutes – giving rise to the mistaken belief of a potential points fest – before a penalty try in the 20th minute.
However, Canterbury were always game to the task, going in at the break just six points behind; Alfie Orris’ try out wide warmed a large crowd, with Frank Reynolds’ kicking on point.
However, as much as the first half provided intrigue, the second provided equally as much frustration.
Neither team could muster any sort of consistency going forward, Martin’s penalty enough for Barnes to return to the capital with four points.
