Sterling at the double as Cant go for broke
Barnes ………………22pts Canterbury……….31pts
PROMOTION hopefuls Canterbury were pushed all the way by Barnes, but clinched a 31-22 bonus point win that guarantees them a play-off spot.
The visitors – backed to the hilt by a large travelling contingent – were matched stride-for-stride by Joe Gray’s side until Sam Sterling’s 66th minute try, which broke Barnes’ resistance and ensured Canterbury remained firmly in the hunt for a spot in National One next season.
Sterling at as Cant go Barnes ………………22pts Canterbury……….31pts It was Sterling who opened up proceedings early on, profiting from the efforts of midfield partner Tom Best who capitalised on a Barnes error in the back-field, and Canterbury’s head of rugby, Andy Pratt, was full of praise for his centre pairing.
“Sam was brilliant, no doubt about that,” said Pratt. “Every time he got the ball it looked like something might happen for us, and he fully deserved his couple of scores today.”
Despite the early score, it was mid-table Barnes who headed in at the break ahead, up 12-5.
The outstanding Alex Hinds, whose physicality was a real problem for the Canterbury back-row, dotted down from an expertly-delivered rolling maul, before Jack Garrett crashed over from a couple of yards out after replacement Fred Avis had parted the Canterbury defence.
And Pratt was quick to acknowledge his side were second-best going into the interval, paying tribute to Barnes’ durability and willingness to play with freedom.
“We were a little bit tight in that first half, and nothing came off,” he added.
“Our lineout was all over the place, we were trying to force the issue on occasion and I’ve not seen our energy so low for a long time.
“You know with Barnes they’ll keep coming at you.
They’ve got boys who will run and run, are brave in both defence and taking a risk when going forward and we had to weather the storm.”
Tom O’Toole’s penalty three minutes after the resumption would only temporarily extend the Barnes lead, with Canterbury registering 26 unanswered points to finally put the tie to bed.
A penalty try got the ball rolling – Johan Van der Poel seeing yellow a double blow – and when George Head followed suit just moments later, holes started appearing in the Barnes defence.
James Stephens dotted down after being taken to the line by a surging scrum, before Sterling added his second. Ricky MacIntosh registered a fifth, with Rob Malaney’s try on the stroke of fulltime a deserved consolation for the men in green and yellow.
Barnes boss Gray was full of praise for his troops: “I can’t fault the boys, I really can’t. They were full of enthusiasm and in that first half especially, we’ve given one of the best teams in the division more than a run for their money.”
TEAMS
BARNES: Davies J, Martey, Holmes, Davies W, Pierce, O’Toole, Franklin (Bevan 62), Hunter, Garrett (Head 42), McArthur (Ryan 34), Steele (Malaney 70), Collins, Van der Poel, Smyth (Avis 20), Hind
CANTERBURY: Grimes; MacIntosh, Sterling, Best T (Rashid-Neville 70), Murray; Best O, Smart (Brathwaite 70); Cooper, King (Otto 40), Kenny (Wake-Smith 43); Cadman (Whetton 63), Corker; Rogers, Stapleton, Stephens
REFEREE: Andrew MacNeaney
ATTENDANCE: 482
Star man
Sam Sterling – Canterbury
