Seconds come close to unlikely win

Dinnington II 18 Barnsley II 27 THE seconds affected by call-ups to the first team, came close to pulling off an unlikely victory. Dinnington made a slow start and were put under a lot of pressure early on by the good flowing rugby of the Barnsley backs. This brought the visitors two well-worked converted tries to put them 14-0 ahead and had they been on target with two penalties, Dinnington could have been out of the game by the mid-point of the first half. As it was, Dinnington then began to get some good possession and by keeping it close to the forwards began to exert their own pressure. This brought them two penalties in quick succession which Michael Maddison kicked to reduce the deficit. However, Barnsley came straight back and Dinnington were on the back foot for a long period. Good defending seemed to be keeping Barnsley out but another well-worked move got the visitors over in the corner. Undeterred, Dinnington came back to finish the half on top. A darting run from scrumhalf Andrew Whittingham left the Barnsley defence clutching thin air as he scored under the posts, Maddison converted, and then a quickly taken penalty, a kick seeming the more obvious option, ten metres out set up Jordan Blakemore to burrow over for another try. The conversion, which would have given Dinnington the lead for the first time, was off target to leave Barnsley 19-18 ahead at the break. The second half failed to match the level of the first. Barnsley went further ahead with a penalty after 10 minutes but other scoring opportunities from either side were scarce. Dinnington had numerous attacks but Barnsley were always able to nullify them and then use the elements to pin the home side back into their own half. Midway through the half Dinnington got over the Barnsley line when Whittingham broke down the blind side of a ruck. However, the speed of his action caught the referee out and because he had not actually seen the act of scoring, the official chose not to award a try. Play became concentrated mostly in mid-field but with five minutes to go, Barnsley sealed victory when they squeezed over the home line after a short spell of concerted pressure. A decent performance by Dinnington who with a bit more luck could have snuck a win.