HRFC   20   BARKING RFC   12

National 3 South

Billed as a 'must win' in the relegation battle, thanks mainly to their forwards, Hav achieved the victory, their first at home since before Christmas, but not without keeping their supporters on edge until the final whistle.

Again suffering from injury and unavailability, Hav were forced to make changes, even from the team that had been selected on Tuesday night. After missing his first league match last Saturday, flanker Steve Cruddas was back to start. Prop Tom Wells made a welcome return to the line up, his first appearance since October.

It was bright, with a strong wind blowing left to right down the pitch. The going was good.

After kicking off with the wind, all early initiatives that Hav tried to take were thwarted by them giving away a string of penalties. Fortunately they weren't all in kicking range for as soon as the first one was, Barking full back Harry Bryan's strike was a good one to put the visitors 0-3 ahead after 10 minutes. What added to the concern was the play that set up the penalty. It started from a line out close to the Barking line set up by an  excellent kick from Pucs from inside his own half. Hav gave away a free kick for 'numbers in the line' and strong running from centre Aaron Hopkins, aided by poor mid-field tackling saw Barking surge upfield only to be illegally stopped just outside the 22.

Hav's 'discipline' did improve for a while but on a couple more occasions in the next few minutes strong runs from the Barking centres created holes in the Hav defence, but fortunately they weren't able to capitalise. Hav actually came closest to scoring in this period when wing Richard Adams looked like he had been set free to go in the left corner, but the maxim 'he who hesitates is lost' proved true and he was bundled into touch.

As the game moved into the second quarter, Hav's forwards at last started to show their mettle, and it was from the tried and tested "penalty - kick to 5 metres out - catch and drive" that, after a few 'drives', eventually saw lock Brad Mockford go over in a position for Sid Claffey to make a conversion and it was 7-3 on 28 minutes.

However, the visitors were soon back up field winning penalties and although they failed to drop a goal from a 'free ball' situation, Harry Bryan had no trouble in stroking over the kick to make it 7-6 on 32.

With the game entering injury time, Hav's forwards again took control applying strong pressure near the visitors line. Yellow cards to both a prop and flanker as they illegally tried to stop the drives, saw Barking reduced to 13 men. Eventually the pressure paid off when Dylan Raubenheimer, Hav's leading try scorer, scored his 9th of the season (all pretty much a look alike!) as Hav drove over the line. A missed conversion left it at 12-6 on 47 minutes, the final action of the half.

With them now to play against the elements, remembering the capitulation that had occurred in the second half against North Walsham a fortnight before, and also the way in which Barking had put us 'to the sword' in the second half at their place, the Hav faithful faced the second half with serious doubts that the lead was big enough. However, Hav started the half with real determination, and taking advantage of their numerical superiority, had a further 5 points on the board in only 3 minutes when again a forward drive saw lock Ollie North go over. An unusual relatively easy miss from Sid Claffey left it at 17-6 on 43.

Although Barking were having trouble getting close to the home line, the sure boot of Harry Bryan was keeping them in the game as Hav's discipline wasn't all it should have been. He stroked a good one over on 45 minutes and an even better one over on 58 to make it 17-12 with the game moving into the final quarter. The mathematicians now started to contemplate the position. With the league position being as it is, every single point won would affect the relegation outcome. If it stayed as it was, Hav would have 4 points, but Barking would have a bonus point making the difference only 3. If Hav scored another try they would get a bonus point, and provided Barking stayed more than 7 points behind Hav, the difference would be 5 points, and Hav would jump over Barking out of the relegation positions. However, Barking were close enough to score and go ahead with a converted try which would have put Hav into deep 'doodoo' as far as relegation is concerned, if that was to be the way it finished. 'Nail biting or what', for the home supporters.

'Worst case' was on the cards when yet again centre Aaron Hopkins found a big hole in the Hav defence and sped into the Hav half with men outside. Fortunately his passing isn't as good as his running and his 'throw' went into touch. Hav's forwards, not for the first time, then took control and started to drive at the visitors line looking for that extra try. However, the set-up and drives were on the slow side, and Barking were able to defend gallantly to save their line. Eventually Hav were awarded a penalty in front of the posts on 77 minutes and had some real thinking to do! Try for a try and hope to get the '5 point' victory or go for the certain penalty, which would at least secure the win, as Barking would have to score twice, and probably be a '4 point' win. Playing the 'odds', the decision was 'penalty' and Pucs made it to put the score 20-12 with still a few minutes to go.

The 'decision' seemed to have been negated when straight from the kick-off Hav full back Keith Molyneux failed to catch an easy ball in his '22'. The situation was made worse when, as the ball bounced forward, another Hav player took it from an off-side position to give what should have been a relatively easy 3 points for the reliable Harry Bryan. Inexplicably he missed, and after his own break a few minutes later he won a penalty and had another go from a more difficult position, which again he missed! The game was now in injury time and, although it looked like a home win, the number of points was still in doubt until the final whistle as Barking tried hard to break the Hav defence in their 22, and close the gap. With little nail left, the Hav supporters breathed a huge sigh of relief when there was no further score and 4 points had been secured!

It wasn't pretty, but Hav's hopes of survival were kept alive, particularly as North Walsham failed to score at Rosslyn Park. It brought Hav to within a point of both and with five matches to play, three at home, there's still all to play for!.

Hav:

Keith Molyneux, Richard Buck, Neil McGovern, Sid Claffey, Richard adams, Pucs Ngapaku, Simon Cole.

Stu Ingram (capt), Andy Tart, Karl Randle (Tom Wells), Brad Mockford, Ollie North, Nick Whittle (Giles Healey), Steve Cruddas, Dylan Raubenheimer

Hav Scorers:

Tries: Brad Mockford, Dylan Raubenheimer, Ollie North  Cons: Sid Claffey (1)  Pens: Pucs Ngapaku (1)

Barking scores

Pens: 4