Hackney Bulls 7 - 44 BERFC

A bright sunny, but frosty morning as Barnet travelled into The Smoke to the home of Hackney Bulls. The first run out for the A squad for 3 weeks – and the opportunity for several players from the B squad who’d impressed in recent weeks to get a taste of A team opposition.

We’d last visited Hackney Bulls two years ago and a mixed squad had come away on that occasion with their tails between their legs. A warm welcome awaited us at the oasis that opens up in the heart of North East London, replete with brand new changing rooms.

Barnet kicked off, but were penalised immediately for straying in front of the kicker. The subsequent scrum was won against the head, and Barnet immediately made tracks towards the Hackney try line. Several minutes of sustained pressure came to nothing as an epedemic of white line fever broke out and Hackney stole the ball under their under own posts, to charge the length of the pitch, and a great final offload put them ahead 7-0.

Within minutes of the restart parity was resumed as the ball was spun down the line for Louis to touch down 7-7. Barnet then took control, working well as a team, and by half time - tries from Liam, Kadeem, and Louis again, followed by a perfectly executed move in the backs for Eddie to touch down brought the half time score to 7-27.

Half time saw a major change in personnel and an opportunity to look at a few players in new positions. What was pleasing was that the guys that came on, knew, and played to, the same game plan as the starting line-up.

Several of the new players learned valuable lessons in the game – most notably that against bigger and stronger opposition you still need to tackle low. A 10 minute sin-binning for barging was a fair cop – but the boys continued to play a well-structured game – and further tries from Andreas, Joel and a second from Eddie brought the final score to 7-44.

A good performance – and very difficult to name a man of the match, such was the all-round team effort. A mention in dispatches for Louis – back from injury and 2 tries in 30 mins from an unfamiliar position - and Kadeem for a bone-crunching tackle on the Hackney No 8.