U14s - Pocklington Vs Barnsley

Pocklington 39 v Barnsley 17

This week saw Barnsley U14’s travelling east across Yorkshire to face Pocklington. The localised rain in the days and weeks preceding the match made the going underfoot heavy. Nonetheless, the team arrived in Pocklington to some excellent hospitality…………and a brief appraisal of the referee’s sporting curriculum vitae left the squad and coaches in awe of his achievements……………but as most of you know; you can never judge a book by it’s cover and whilst it is undoubtedly important to know the rules, it’s the manner in which you apply them that is more significant.
The virulent novo virus had an impact upon the team fielded this morning and a special mention must go to Sam Atkinson and Dylan Taylor for volunteering and stepping up to the mark in the front row.

With the game underway, the referee quickly came to prominence. Demonstrating a thorough understanding of the rule book Barnsley were quickly penalised at the put in at the first scrum. With possession conceded to their hosts, he then allowed Pocklington to commit the same offence, which in itself was bad enough, but when they then went on to score the first try; the writing was on the wall for Barnsley and their sixteen opponents. In a game marred by such refereeing inconsistencies, Barnsley allowed their hosts to capitalise on their frustrations; and for the second week in succession the opposition were allowed to take an early two try lead.

But slowly and surely, Barnsley regained a foothold in the game and it was not long before Kyle Holmes drove over for Barnsley’s first points. Sustained pressure from the restart saw Barnsley pin their opponents back on their own try line and after Jordan Darwin cleared a gap and half the opposition pack in the ruck, Jordan Gray took full benefit and dived over for Barnsley’s second try of the morning, which he duly converted.

At half time Barnsley were still trailing, but back in the game at 17 v 12. Unfortunately for Barnsley however, Pocklington were the quicker team out of the blocks and again scored two easy tries. And so the game continued in the same frustrating manner for the boys, who’d take two steps forward only to be marched five back, by the referee.
The return of Sam Owen to the fray, saw the opportunity to give his opponent a lesson in the dark arts of the scrum and with time ebbing away it wasn’t until the final play of the game that Barnsley troubled the scorer’s again when Fred Butcher drove over to give a final scoreline of 39 v 17 in favour of the hosts.

The first two games of 2008 have seen Barnsley dominate possession throughout, the team have played with more purpose and are scoring more freely; it is only the momentary lapse’s of concentration which are their undoing. Hopefully they will put be able to put that right in time for the visit of Castleford this Saturday and the chance to complete their first double of the season, in a match which is billed as an appetiser to the 1st XV’s game against Aireborough.
Man of the match awards went to Fred Butcher (Forwards) and Michael Limb (Backs)