BARNARD CASTLE 15 v ACKLAM 28

BARNARD CASTLE 15 v ACKLAM 28

Acklam travelled to Barnard Castle for their game and found the conditions were very favourable for open rugby. Both teams took advantage of the conditions and produced a very entertaining game. The first ten minutes was even but Barnard Castle had two attempts to open the scoring and obliged on the 10 minute mark with a penalty conversion. Acklam came into the game on the 20 minute mark, when from an opposition scrum in the Acklam 22 meters; Shaun Richardson disrupted the opposition ball and gained 40 meters. This brought Acklam to life and from a lineout in the 25th minute the Acklam forwards drove on several times before the ball went along the line and Dean Roberts split the defence with Ben Dickenson in support to score the opening try of the game. From the restart Dean Roberts split the defence once again and scored his second try. Acklam looked well on top at this stage and just before half-time, Acklam won an attacking 5 meter scrum and the ball went along the line for Dean Roberts to get his hat-trick of tries. Half-time score 3-21.
Early in the second-half Ashley Speight came on for Andrew Cruickshank. On the 60 minute Karl Murray was sin binned and at this stage Acklam failed to push on from the advantage that they had gained at half-time. On the 64th minute Barnard Castle took a quick lineout in their own half of the field, and their elusive centre ran into score from 50 meters. Shortly afterwards Dan Burns was substituted for James Ffitch. On the 70 minute mark, Acklam exerted pressure and Andrew Dalton made a decisive break but was held up short of the line but he presented the ball well and Ashley Speight came from depth at pace to score the crucial bonus try. On the 74 minute the elusive centre from Barnard Castle split the Acklam defence to score his second try. As the final whistle approached Ashley Speight was unlucky not to score his second try as the referee judged his knee hit the line just before he grounded the ball.
All credit to both teams for such a competitive game. Shaun Richardson demonstrated his fine game management at scrum-half. The front five scrummaged very well throughout the game although to-day the lineout did not function at its best. Lee Richardson showed composure when needed. In all a very good win, although Acklam never quite played at their best.