Barum one win from Twickers
BARNSTAPLE are one win away from a trip to Twickenham for the final of the Papa Johns’ Regional Championship after beating Oxford Harlequins 23-16 in their last qualifying game, writes Conrad Sutcliffe.
Victory meant Barum topped Group Three – Launceston and Banbury were the other combatants – with a perfect three-from-three record.
Standing in the way of Barum running out at the headquarters of rugby are Havant, who sealed their place as winners of Group Four with a 46-42 win over Camberley.
If Barum beat Havant at Pottington Road this Saturday it will be next stop TW2 for the game of a lifetime.
Winston James, the Barnstaple coach, was expecting a thorough examination by an Oxford side that ran away with promotion from Midlands One into the National League system this season. And that’s what he got!
Although Barnstaple were 10-0 down shortly before half time – and 13-7 in arrears at the break – James was never too worried.
“We played poorly for the first 30 minutes, but refused to roll over in defence and make it easy for them,” said James.
“Out on the pitch we fought tooth-and-nail for every yard against a team you could tell was used to winning and not used to teams playing the way we did.
“We stuck to our game plan – no need to go into details – which is very satisfying for a coach.
“And although it was close all the way through, there was no point at which I did not think we would be going through.”
With 15 minutes to go it was all-square on 13-all, which would have been enough to put Barnstaple through to the final on bonus points previously won.
“That was a massive advantage for us as the pressure was on them for the rest of the game,” said James.
Tyler Gordon-Oke converted a second try of the match by Jonny Carter to edge Barum 20-13 ahead in the last 10 minutes.
A penalty trade – Gordon-Oke cancelling out an effort from Ewan Fox – was the final scoring action of the game. Oke finished with three penalties and both conversions.
Only a handful of local club sides – excluding Exeter Chiefs and Plymouth Albion – have played in Twickenham finals. Fewer still have won there.