Rugby union: Blackheath widen lead at top after 36-5 home win over Barnes
BY GRAHAM COX
It looked an emphatic win in the end, but Barnes tested Blackheath as hard as anyone at Well Hall in National League Two East this term, and had their lineout served them better, they might have pushed the scoreline harder.
As it was, Blackheath etched out another resounding victory, and one which widens their lead at the head of the table to six points.
Credit for the demolition job on the Barnes lineout that must go to Tom Stradwick. The Club’s second row and forwards’ coach, along with his well-versed pack, did such effective homework on the visitors’ set-piece that they seldom had a solid platform from that aspect of the game to work from.
The scrum was a more even contest and ironically it was from this phase that Blackheath scored twice during a dominant opening 21 minutes.
In the 13th minute ball was moved right for Nick Foster to send Jake Lloyd across in the corner, and soon after, the full-back was on the opposite side to make the final pass, this time for Alex Harris to squeeze over, Tom Ffitch adding two fine conversions.
Barnes’ first serious attack did manage a rare successful lineout, from which Dev Hope crashed over on the open-side for the visitors’ only try, but a Ffitch penalty gave the hosts a 17-5 lead at the break.
The advantage was extended straight from the restart. Harris came off his wing to receive Jake Hennessey’s pass, the left-wing scything a line, before releasing Lloyd for his second try, the upright denying Ffitch what would have been a perfect kicking display.
The league-leaders were unable to relax during a largely scrappy second period. Twice they needed to turn over possession in defence, only a forward pass denying Barnes what would have been a fine try, and accidental offside in the maul blunted one golden opportunity.
It was not until the 76th minute that the game was firmly settled. Lloyd’s punt towards the Barnes goal-line was recovered, but the clearance was taken by Foster for Lloyd to shred apart the opposition once more for his hat-trick.
Markus Burcham intercepted, and although held short of the goal-line, had Freddie Owen on hand to pop the ball up for Hennessey to dive over for a fifth score in the dying moments.
Blackheath travel to Worthing on Saturday. Kick off at Roundstone Lane is 2pm.
PICTURES: ANDY WANSBURY
Main Pic: Alex Harris
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