Barkers Butts 40 -21 Newbold RFC
Midlands W2 S
Newbold kicked off and Barkers made their early intentions clear kicking the ball deep into Newbold’s half and forcing a lineout, which they comfortably won, mounted a rolling maul and scoring converted try just minutes from the kick off. 7 -0 The shell shocked visitors restarted the game and again allowed the home sides backs to run at them, missing several tackles and gifting Barkers with a second converted try with little over 10 minutes gone. 14 -0 Newbold eventually started to rally from the third kick off an attempted drop goal led to a Newbold penalty just inside the visitors 22, Captain Danny Facer took the quick penalty and advanced a full 60 yards, just 5 yards short of Barkers line and with good support forced another penalty, which he himself took quickly racing over the line converted by Paul Cunningham 14 – 7. Attacking straight back into the home sides 22, the forwards gained good momentum gaining the upper hand at the breakdown forcing Barkers to again infringe; Cunningham slotted the wide out penalty. 14 – 10.
The kick off was a beautifully floated ball which the visitors failed to secure allowing the home side to win the ball, quick ball fed along the threes caught the Newbold defence napping and scored wide out again converted. 21 – 10. Newbold’s kick off was knocked on from the opposition but good advantage played by the ref allowed Newbold to recycle the ball and make good ground into Barkers 22,where again the opposition prevented the ball from being released and Cunningham converted the penalty. 21 – 13. The kick off gave Newbold a scrum on the half way line but lost the ball against the head releasing the scrum half whose break released the winger who raced to the line to score unconverted. 26 – 13. The kick off quickly becoming a disaster area was caught by the opposition centre unopposed that stretched through several tackles scoring under the posts for a seven pointer and the half time whistle.33 – 13
From the kick off Barkers immediately infringed coming off side and Cunningham despatched the penalty reducing the arrears to 33 – 16. The half time talking began to Pay dividends as the early mistakes were forgotten and Newbold’s forwards began to dominate the early exchanges, good running from veteran John Cockerill made a good 30 yds before releasing it to Paul Bale in support who pounced over the line, Cunningham narrowly wide with the conversion. 33 – 21.The visiting forwards continued to make good ground, and it was only the naivety of the final pass or decision making preventing Newbold finding another score. Barkers attacked back with Newbold withholding 10 minutes of sustained pressure, a hack on by the visitors bounced luckily for Barkers winger who happily took the present, making sure of the final converted try and virtually killing Newbold’s hopes of getting anything from the game.
The score line suggests an easy win for the opposition, but if Newbold can continue to produce this level of Rugby the wins will come, elementary mistakes cost them dearly but when these are rectified the team will start to go forward. Saturday, Newbold face Bedworth at Parkfield Rd, this is probably the last ditch attempt to avoid relegation, all supporters are urged to attend and get behind their team.
