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BackSat 08 Mar 2025 ·  National League 2 East.png&h=60&w=60)
1st XVBarnes
Tries: W Holling (2), T KendrickConversions: S EvansPenalties: C Lloyd (2)Yellow Carded: W Holling, I Ridge
23
32
Barnes Bounce TJs
Adam Hookway9 Mar - 10:07
TJs suffered their second defeat of the season against a Barnes squad that controlled the ball for long periods and ran out deserved winners
It was a sunny dry day at The Slade and that wasn't the only surprise for the TJ faithful as they saw Barnes outplay TJs for long periods to secure an important win in the race for the N2E title.
Tjs started brightly and put Barnes on the back foot with a series of attacking plays that ended in a Connor Lloyd penalty to give TJs the early 3-0 lead. However it was short lived as TJs erred from the restart and the Barnes penalty to the corner was followed by a drive and score. A few minutes later Barnes made ground down the left and as TJs gathered the kick through they tried to escape left but a high pass went awry and bounced up for the Barnes right wing to scamper home. Barnes led 3-10 after just 10 minutes.
Connor Lloyd added a second TJ penalty but Barnes were growing into their game and they showed great pace and accuracy in all facets and TJs spent much of the time trying to stem the tide. But Barnes added a third try after 25 minutes and a Yellow Card for Will Holling was followed by another for Isaac Ridge to show the pressure TJs were under. Barnes took advantage and added their bonus point try on the stroke of half time to go in 6-22 to the good.
TJs needed a second half surge and had to hope that Barnes second half frailty in recent games might come to the fore. Restored to 14 men TJs were still struggling to keep the ball and put any meaningful attacks together and the writing was well and truly on the defeat wall after 50 minutes as Barnes added a 5th try to make it 6-29.
TJs rallied by driving Will Holling over after 54 minutes and a repeat dose 10 minutes later which Sam Evans converted offered a glimmer of hope at 18-29 but TJs couldn't sustain the recovery.
Barnes continued to attack and to thwart any TJ attempts to close the gap further until the final 2 minutes when Tom Kendrick got over on the left to put TJs in sight of a try bonus point and perhaps a losing one also. But that too was denied as Barnes ended with a 6th try of their own to seal the win.
The result puts Barnes just one point behind TJs in N2E but TJs have a game in hand still. That game is a trip to Guernsey later in March and before then they travel to Old Albanians next Saturday for a 3pm KO
Tjs started brightly and put Barnes on the back foot with a series of attacking plays that ended in a Connor Lloyd penalty to give TJs the early 3-0 lead. However it was short lived as TJs erred from the restart and the Barnes penalty to the corner was followed by a drive and score. A few minutes later Barnes made ground down the left and as TJs gathered the kick through they tried to escape left but a high pass went awry and bounced up for the Barnes right wing to scamper home. Barnes led 3-10 after just 10 minutes.
Connor Lloyd added a second TJ penalty but Barnes were growing into their game and they showed great pace and accuracy in all facets and TJs spent much of the time trying to stem the tide. But Barnes added a third try after 25 minutes and a Yellow Card for Will Holling was followed by another for Isaac Ridge to show the pressure TJs were under. Barnes took advantage and added their bonus point try on the stroke of half time to go in 6-22 to the good.
TJs needed a second half surge and had to hope that Barnes second half frailty in recent games might come to the fore. Restored to 14 men TJs were still struggling to keep the ball and put any meaningful attacks together and the writing was well and truly on the defeat wall after 50 minutes as Barnes added a 5th try to make it 6-29.
TJs rallied by driving Will Holling over after 54 minutes and a repeat dose 10 minutes later which Sam Evans converted offered a glimmer of hope at 18-29 but TJs couldn't sustain the recovery.
Barnes continued to attack and to thwart any TJ attempts to close the gap further until the final 2 minutes when Tom Kendrick got over on the left to put TJs in sight of a try bonus point and perhaps a losing one also. But that too was denied as Barnes ended with a 6th try of their own to seal the win.
The result puts Barnes just one point behind TJs in N2E but TJs have a game in hand still. That game is a trip to Guernsey later in March and before then they travel to Old Albanians next Saturday for a 3pm KO
Further reading