Was there anything that could stop the Knox juggernaut? Could another team even get close?
Cranbrook v Barker
by “rod skellet”
Last year’s champions, Cranbrook, had not won a game in 2015 but they had improved during the season and were due for a win.
On the other hand Barker had won a couple at home beating Cranbrook in the first half of the season and also front-runners Waverley. Winning away at The Brook would help them to rebuild their season after a one-point away loss to Trinity last week.
First half
Cranbrook camped deep in Barker’s half from the kick-off and the Reds had to repel wave after wave of big men trying to barge their way through. Somehow Barker’s line held after a sustained 15-minute period of onslaught despite losing loosehead prop Tim Anstey to a yellow card.
Barker responded with clever use of meagre possession when 8 Simon Purcell and 10 Bruce Thompson combined to put 13 Will Rowbotham over in the corner. When skipper Andy Lloyd converted from near touch Barker found themselves leading 7-nil with only 14 lads on the paddock.
From the restart Cranbrook adopted similar effective tactics, with big props 1 Tom Hill and 3 Lewis Barakat keeping the Brook on attack. This time the home team were not to be denied and 12 Angus McNiven went over the chalk near the posts. The easy conversion missed and despite having little possession, Barker was still leading, 7-5.
But the Cranbrook forwards gained ascendancy when Barker lost Anstey, their general upfront, when he was concussed in a dangerous-looking tackle. It was a game-changer.
A rolling maul by the Cranbrook forwards from ten metres out led to a try by THP Alex Rathie. After the extras were added Cranbrook led 12-7.
But Barker hit back from the restart when Thompson took on his opposite number and split the defence wide open. Year 10 winger Falito Van Woerkom went over for a top try, and after Lloyd converted the Reds were back in front and it was time for oranges.
Half-time score: Barker 14 – Cranbrook 12.
Second half
Barker became their own worst enemy after the break.
Four Barker lineouts were lost on their own throw which gifted easy possession to the Cranbrook backs, and they took advantage. Felix Studdy crashed over and although the conversion went wide, a successful penalty goal after the restart had Cranbrook back in the lead and looking dominant at 20-14.
Solid pressure by the Cranbrook eight had Barker on the back foot and forcing simple errors from them; they were looking the goods. Another penalty goal was kicked their flyhalf Darcy Searl, who was now winning his battle with Barker flyhalf Thompson, for Cranbrook to increase their lead to 23-14 with seven minutes to go.
The lineouts were such an issue for Barker that it forced them to take midfield scrums instead of kicking for field position when they received penalties. But after some solid work by their best player, Simon Purcell, Barker received a penalty which was kickable, and Lloyd knocked it over.
Suddenly Barker was in touch at 17-23 with five minutes remaining.
Barker refused to go down and were pressuring the Cranbrook line, but the bigger White boys held firm to run down the clock and record a well-deserved first win of the season.
Best players
Cranbrook – Hill, 4 Stenmark, 12 McNiven and Studdy.
Barker – 8 Purcell, Anstey (before concussion) and Van Woerkom.
Click on page 2 below for the report on Aloys v Trinity by “Pilfer”
