Datch so close away

...against Hertfordshire rivals and high flyers Barnet, however fell just short losing 15-12.

Datchworth shocked the hosts from kick off and took the lead immediately. Having received the ball from kick off, Datch back row Henry Mountain beat a number of players and found his way into midfield, off loaded the ball to No. 8 Matthew Francis, who gassed the Barnet full back and finished aptly under the posts to put Datchworth up straight away – two tries in two games now for the Datchworth Captain. The following conversion was secured by Sam Brunton.

For the next fifteen minutes Barnet battered the line but to no avail, Datchworth’s stubborn and much improved defence looking impenetrable. However, this was to soon change as Barnet won their scrum in the opponents 22 and put together an intelligent back move to score under the sticks, thus levelling the score. Barnet then scored again through sustained pressure giving them a 12-7 lead at half time.

Datchworth came out hard in the second half and this soon paid dividend as some persistent forward play led to hooker Lewis Tyler finding himself powering over the hosts line to level the score. Datchworth could not convert on this occasion and set up an anxious final quarter.
Moving in to a tense last twenty minutes both fly-halves had missed penalty opportunities, the hosts even hitting the post on one occasion. With ten minutes to go however, Datchworth flanker Anthony Stone found his way to the sin bin and the Barnet kicker slotted home to leave Datchworth trailing.

Despite a determined final effort from Datchworth, it was not to be. Securing a losing bonus point however and a much improved away performance, the guests will be raring to go come Saturday when playing arch rivals Hitchin.

Report by Sam McBroom