A much improved performance against Barking saw Brentwood go down narrowly at Goresbrook on Saturday. Steve Killington’s side had much to prove from a poor display the previous week.

The gale affected the outcome with the team who had the wind held clear advantage, but a controversial decision by the Referee would ultimately cost Brentwood a share of the points.

Barking elected to play with the wind and they quickly established territorial advantage with some astute tactical kicking form their fly half which kept Brentwood firmly in their own half. The effective manner in which Barking were able to kick to the corner and recycle the ball and drive gave Barking an early ten point advantage. Brentwood found it difficult to establish any pattern of play and they became increasingly frustrated with themselves and the referee. Most of the vociferous home crowd knew that Barking would need further scores to secure the league points.

Barking continued to press and an incisive break by the best player on the Pitch, the Barking fly half, saw him create an opportunity for the lively Barking winger to dance over in the corner, poor defensive tackling and the fact that the Brentwood players stopped as the winger clearly had his foot in touch before he scored. The referee and touch judge clearly missed this and awarded the try.
This clearly galvanised the Brentwood side who played with greater pace and determination but were frustrated by some interesting decisions.

The second half saw Brentwood again dominate the early phases of play but it was Barking who against the run of play scored with a cleverly worked try to give them a 22-0. Brentwood’s response was immediate with Charlie Chambers kicking to the corner where the forwards caught and drove over for Jed Roman to reduce the score to 22-5.

The Brentwood forwards were now dominant and both at scrum and lineout had Barking on the back foot. Again some clever work by Chambers gave the forwards a target and a simple catch and drive saw them crash over to further reduce the lead to 22-10. Brentwood’s third try was cleverly worked by the backs who created an opportunity for Ed Greenfield to score from his own kick ahead as he outpaced the Barking defence to reduce Barking’s lead to seven points.

Brentwood created opportunities but were unable to convert them into the much needed try. With a frenzied last ten minutes. Chambers danced his way past a tiring Barking defence and raced into the 22 metres and off loaded to Skipper Josh Woodcock to race towards the Barking line unopposed only for the referee to call the game back for a forward pass from Chambers.
The Brentwood players were clearly upset by this controversial decision resulting in Chambers being sent to the sin bin for comments made to the referee, Brentwood were now reduced to fourteen men for the rest of the game.

Barking held on to record a home victory 22-15 with Brentwood left feeling that they had the opportunity to draw the game taken away from them.

Brentwood can be pleased with parts of their performance but will need to kick on next week in a crucial encounter against League new boys Old Priorians.