The three Ts made the difference for the 1st XV.

They were faced by the runaway League leaders, Kilburn Cosmos (played 13, won 13), and, for the first thirty minutes, it seemed as if that might become 14 from 14 matches as the hosts scored almost every time they touched the ball: some of the moves came from slick short passing, some from a longer series of passes although one try had a dubious look about it. With three of the four tries being converted, BE were trailing 26-0. However, it was not all one way as the 1st XV, almost back to full strength, had several promising moves in the middle of the pitch, with LUKE WILLIAMS, LLOYD MORGAN, SHAUN BLAKE, JAMES ORAM, DAN TAYLOR and others making good ground although nothing came from their possession.

However, five minutes before half time, the efforts paid off as the BE pack supported LLOYD MORGAN with the drive whilst he controlled the ball: the result was a try for lLLOYD MORGAN and a conversion for HARRY EADE. 26-7 at half time but Kilburn had no answer to the visitors in the second half as they rattled up four more tries, with three conversions, added to which they completely shut out their hosts who failed to score a single point in the second half: moreover, the BE pressure, particularly up front where the 1st XV were competitive and direct, caused the home side to lose their rag, a little: at different times in the half, KC had four men sin-binned for deliberate obstruction or professional fouls.

Leading by example, JAMES ORAM thought he had scored a try although it mattered not as, in the next move, HARRY EADE supported the pack to score a try, which he converted himself. 26-14 and the momentum was definitely with BE. This became 26-21 when their pack was illegally stopped from scoring a try and the referee awarded a penalty try, easily converted by HARRY EADE. Shortly afterwards, BE had scored again when MATT NICHOLAS made a dynamic run, from the centre, and forced himself easily over for try number four which levelled the scores and gave BE the bonus point: with HARRY EADE adding the two points, BE had the lead for the fisrt time. However, they did not stop there and it was fitting that LLOYD MORGAN had the final touch-down, even though the wide conversion attempt went away. So, in the space of forty minutes, BE had gone from 0-26 down to 33-26 up. There was still time for some serious defending as Kilburn piled onto the BE try line, trying to seek a draw, but BE were determined to hold their line and they did it.

The trip back to Barnet was that much more enjoyable afterwards as this was only the second away win for the 1st XV this season.

As Bobby Graham pointed out afterwards, the three Ts won the game and well deserved by all eighteen players.

PGY