St Albans RFC made the short trip to Byng Road for the second game of the season against Barnet Elizabethans RFC. After a tough run of games St Albans were hoping to build on an improved performance last time out against Saracens Amateurs where they fell just short at home.

In the previous meeting between the two teams, Saints ran out comfortable winners on a warm day in September, scoring 5 tries in a game that finished 34-17 at Boggymead. This time around it was not to be, with errors and a few missed tackles costing St Albans and resulting in a scrappy game.

Barnet started quickly, applying pressure on the St Albans line from the beginning of the game and after a period of sustained time camped in the away team’s 22 Barnet converted the pressure into points driving over from close range. With the try converted the score was 7-0 after around 10 minutes. The hosts scored again shortly after, following another period of pressure on the St Albans line. Before long Barnet scored again making it three tries to nothing and looked to be in a commanding position.

St Albans were playing uphill, into the wind, and into the low winter sun which made the first half hard work. Despite the challenges in the conditions, St Albans entered the Barnet red zone and looked to apply some pressure of their own through a driving line out and a few hard carries in the forwards. Number 8 Alec Lawrence, along with flankers Lyle Ross and Adam Jasinski providing the go forward during this phase of the game which kept Barnet on the back foot. Eventually the gaps opened up out wide and the quick ball was shipped out to prop Will Batchelor who was having an identity crisis standing out on the wing - a textbook offload from the prop provided dynamic hooker Jack Dempsey with plenty of space to dive for the line and score the first St Albans try of the game. Half time followed shortly after another Barnet score meaning St Albans were down but not out at the break.

Half time messages from the coaching squad focussed on being more clinical in attack, and trusting that the hard work done in training around handling drills and working around the corner would pay off in the second half. As if by magic, the sun went in and the wind stopped on the stroke of half time, meaning the conditions were less influential into the second half.

St Albans rallied during the second 40, playing the game in the right areas of the pitch and keeping Barnet confined to their own half much better than the previous half. Kicking to the corner and being more clinical in attack was the plan, and St Albans showed glimpses of this but unfortunately some of the passing was wayward and they put themselves under pressure time and again with the mistakes. After a change at half back saw Adam Kelly-Moore step in a 10 with Owen Hagues move to 9 the visitors were able to enter the Barnet 22 for another chance at some points. A textbook driving line out was moving towards the line, when a dynamic pod broke off, spearheaded by Will Batchelor and driven onwards by first half try scorer Jack Dempsey and co-captain Osian Rees and secured a second try for the Saints. A much more
competitive second half but it wasn’t enough and the game finished 33-12 to Barnet.

Messages from head coach Jack Stevenson at the end of the game focussed around how hard the team worked in defence, and gave the whole squad a lot of credit for hanging in the fight and not giving up, but the costly errors and inaccuracies in attack are an area to focus on at training this week. The effort and determination can’t be questioned, but the mindset at the start of the game leading to a very slow start is an issue that’s been plaguing St Albans for a few games now and the whole team need to have a think about
how we can put this right.

Man of the match was Adam Jasinski who seemed to be everywhere on the pitch with huge tackles and some fantastic carries on a very muddy pitch.

Up next for St Albans RFC are local rivals Tabard RFC, who will be visiting Boggymead for the final game of 2024 on Saturday 21st December.