3 Counties Barbarians faced an unknown opposition at Woodford RFC, with 6 Buzzard players in the ranks, and they were in for a tough afternoon.In the first minute Woodford intercepted a pass in the 22 to score. In what was to be a close match the missed conversion was to prove costly.
Woodford kept up the pressure and Barbarians backs, containing Buzzards, George Pratt, Julian Gallie, Dane Richards and Sam Beaumont snuffed out most attacks, Forwards Max Green and Rhys Richards were active at the breakdown and tackled hard. The tensions was broken by great individual play by Max Flint, who broke through to put Barbarians into a narrow lead. However indiscipline in front of a well-known local referee was to prove costly as the Barbarians gave away penalties and free kicks despite the referee’s warnings.
Handing Woodford the advantage, they found a weak point to score and take the lead at half-time.The second half saw excellent penetrating runs by Beaumont, Gallie and Green and from quick hands along the backs Flint outflanked the Woodford defence to score.
With level scores, all mistakes were being punished but it was to be indiscipline by the hosts that led to a penalty converted by Joseph Cox, who kicked well throughout, to secure the win for Barbarians 15-12.