Datchworth beaten at home

Datchworth 5 Barnet Elizabethans 11

The villagers' undefeated record at home was ended by a resilient Barnet side.

But with conditions such as they were, this game of rugby was never going to be a massively expansive and high-scoring one. Playing downhill but into the strong wind in the first half, Datchworth started strongly with a clear intent on avenging their defeat at the hands of Hemel Hempstead.

It took them a while but through a nice running line and quick thinking, home scrum-half Tom Wood scuttled over to score the opening try. With a failed goal attempt, the game was now at 5-0 in favour of the home side.

Datchworth were trying to put phase after phase together in order to gain ground and play territory rugby.

Barnet, however, were soaking up what Datchworth were throwing at them and refusing to do anything but keep the ball tight, making it difficult for the home side to steal the ball for most of the game.

In the treacherous conditions of swirling winds and relentless rain, the scoreline was held at the five-point lead until the interval.

Datchworth were aware that the second half was going to be a tougher encounter than the first as they not only wanted to protect the lead, but cement a larger gap in the scoreline between the two sides.

After sensibly deciding that attack was the better form of defence, it was merely penalties conceded which were allowing the opposition back into the game.

Barnet themselves started to score some points, while Datchworth had three or four different occasions where a final forward pass was deemed and a score disallowed, as well as a try being held up in the first half.

Datchworth were failing to keep ball in hand, and it was too often the final pass of a move which was never clinical enough.

Trailing 11-5, the home side had a couple more possible scores in the dying seconds which could have ultimately taken the points their way.