Barnes 59 - Taunton 33 (Match Report)

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Taunton played their part in a high scoring encounter, but returned from the capital with only a single bonus point after a 59-33 loss to Barnes in a game they hoped would get their season back on track.

For sixty minutes there was little between either side, with both fighting to get a result. For the neutral passer by it must have been a treat to watch, with the lead swinging back and forth throughout. In the end though, it certainly wasn’t an enjoyable occasion for the Taunton players and coaches, the team now rooted in the lower region of the league table.

Barnes opened the scoring with an unconverted try for Edouard Alteirac after ten minutes, with the hooker looping around his backline in support of the ball, giving the extra man to outstrip the hard working Taunton defence.

Taunton responded five minutes later through a well taken Jason Luff try when the inside centre broke through the tackles of the hosts’ midfield to go in under the posts. Tony Yapp stepped up and added the conversion to give Taunton the lead.

Another five minutes had barely passed when Barnes restored their lead after Edward Sayce touched down for the first of his three tries of the afternoon. The ball was spread wide to the Barnes back line and this time it was the flanker providing support who profited. Under pressure from oncoming tackles he outstretched an arm in contact to ground the ball over the line. Gareth Williams-Davis added the conversion.

It took Taunton ten minutes to respond again, and when they did two scores came in relatively quick succession. The first went to second row Dave Bufton, who crashed over from close range to level the scores. Yapp slotted the conversion to put Taunton back in front.

Two minutes later Dean Taylor-Mendes added another following a patient build up. Tom Popham made the break into the Barnes half, and drew the defenders with Taylor-Mendes on his shoulder in support. The back row went in under the posts and Yapp kicked another conversion to extend Taunton’s lead.

Barnes added another score straight from the restart when Williams-Davis found a gap in the Taunton midfield before offloading to Sayce who was once again in support. The flanker walked it in under the posts giving his provider the easiest of conversions to pull seven points back.

The home side regained the lead four minutes later when Taunton failed to deal with a lineout catch and drive. The hosts trundled toward the line and touched down for an unconverted try awarded to Ross Beckett, giving them a slender 24-21 lead at half time.

Barely three minutes into the second half, a tap penalty was taken by the quick thinking Sam Alford and the scrumhalf wriggled his way over the line for a score. Yapp converted and the lead was back in Taunton’s hands.

It was to be short lived, with Barnes once again replying from the restart. The ball was spread through the backline and missed tackles allowed the midfield partnership of Chris Dunlop and David Riley to breach a stretched defence, with Riley getting the touchdown. Williams-Davis added the extras and the home side were back in front.

The pendulum would swing once more into Taunton’s favour, with Rueben Haile bagging his seventh try of the season after Gary Kingdom had one disallowed when the referee pulled play back for an earlier infringement. Haile applied his usual abrasive and direct running, which the Barnes defenders were this time unable to deal with. Yapp was narrowly wide with the conversion attempt, but Taunton had their noses ahead going into the final quarter of the match with a 31-33 lead.

It then fell apart for Taunton when prop Alec Chase illegally disrupted a Barnes forward drive and received a yellow card for his troubles. Barnes immediately took advantage with Sayce being credited with the score after another well organised forward drive to the line. Williams-Davis added the conversion and the lead was back in the hands of the hosts.

Taunton began to look a beaten team, and Barnes duly added another two converted scores with the man advantage through Simon Givens and Dunlop. Both came through direct running, putting the Taunton defence under increased pressure. Williams-Davis added the extras to both, giving the home side a now commanding lead going into the last five minutes.

There was to be no coming back for Taunton despite their efforts, and when the hosts added the final score from yet another line out catch and drive it was game over. Givens secured his brace, and Williams-Davis added the extras to give Barnes their first victory of the league campaign.

Taunton made the long journey home from London wondering what it is exactly that they need to do to secure a win. One thing for certain is that its time to dig even deeper in order to turn things around and get their confidence back. If ever there was a need for a trench mentality, this is it!