Dairymen Vs Barry Match Report.

Match Report.

Llanharan RFC vs Barry RFC, The Dairy Field, Saturday the 6th of September 2025.

The early autumn sunshine which bathed the Dairy Field, was witness not only to the dawn of a new season, but also a new era for the Dairymen, as the new coaching team of Bill Carey and Mitch Jenkins took charge of their first competitive game. It was also a privilege for us to see their predecessors Gareth Nicholas and Andy Price back at the Dairy, enjoying the occasion as spectators, and club stalwart Kevin Jones running the line the day after his fifty eighth birthday.

The first half, it’s fair to say, was for large parts a niggly and lacklustre affair, with neither team seemingly able to string together more than a couple of phases, before an error gifted possession to the opposing team. There were also frequent stoppages for players receiving medical attention, not least to Llanharan’s classy full back Mitchell Jones, who required a lengthy delay, midway through the half. This was as a result of a seemingly serious knee injury, apparently caused by a ‘no arms’ tackle by Barry number eight Rhys Force, as Mitch attempted to launch a counterattack from his own half.

The deadlock was finally broken around the half hour mark, as the Dairymen attempted to play it from deep in their own half. Lloyd Gregory’s pass was intercepted, allowing Barry centre Josh Edwards to cross unopposed. Scrum half Owen Rees was on point with the straightforward conversion, and the visitors found themselves seven points to the good. Conceding the try, seemed to spur the hosts into action, and for the first time, they began to enjoy sustained possession in the visitor’s half. However, some six minutes before the interval, tempers boiled over, and Llanharan outside half Scott Jones was sent to the sin bin, having become frustrated by opposition hands on the ball in a ruck, slowing up home possession. Despite some promising late attacks by the home team, the half ended with the visitors seven nil up.

The home team which emerged for the second half was an entirely different animal, with whatever message which was passed by the coaches at half time clearly having the desired effect. Despite being still down to fourteen men for the first four minutes of the second period, Llanharan started very much on the front foot. Not long after Scott Jones returned to the fray, some neat interplay between Scott, the tireless Jack Dauncey, and Lewis Cogbill resulted in the diminutive scrum half crossing for Llanharan’s first try of the season. Scott Jones added the extras to tie the scores. Having drawn level, the hosts took their foot off the gas for the next five minutes, with excellent last ditch defending preventing the visitors from pulling ahead again on two separate occasions. However, having regained their composure, the home side again began to mount some sustained pressure, and Scott Jones stepped up to regather his own neat little chip over the Barry defence and stroll in under the posts. Fortunately for the hosts, the referee appeared unconcerned with an apparent shove on Barry’s Evan Prosser, as they were both competing for the loose ball, and needless to say Scott converted his own try.

From this point onwards it was one way traffic, with Llanharan’s attacking intent punctuated by frequent bouts of ugly ill temper. Jack Dauncey powered over for the home side’s third try and it was just reward for his outstanding player of the match performance, with Scott again adding the extras. For the first time there was clear water between the sides with the home team moving into a twenty-one points to seven lead. Replacement Ajay Lewis was the next to find himself on the score sheet, rounding off a nice attacking move, with the bonus point try. Scott made it four from four from the tee, to put the hosts twenty-eight seven ahead. The last move of the game, saw captain and granite like centre Jack Brooks ghost through the Barry defence, as he had already done several times during the match, to score beneath the posts. Scott maintained his perfect record, to make the final score thirty-five seven to the hosts.

Despite the slow start, the afternoon ended with a very satisfactory result. In addition to Jack Dauncey, the front row all impressed, with Jack Walker and Jordan Pritchard in particular carrying well. Kieran Martin and Rhys Dauncey dominated the line outs, Lewis Cogbill at scrum half was a bundle of energy, and Scott Jones controlled the game well from outside half, as well as contributing fifteen of the home side’s points. Jack Brooks was a constant threat in attack, and led the backline in defence, whilst Jacob Williams was impressive, in particular having moved to full back. The only dampener to the day was the injury count, as well as the serious looking knee injury sustained by Mitchell Jones, Harrison Pritchard, Louis Stansbury, Jack Dauncey, and Lloyd Gregory who had carried well at centre, all left the field early having sustained knocks. It is hoped that most will return in time for next weekend’s home game against Cambrian.

Thanks to Gareth Morgan for the Match Report.⚫️🔵⚫️🔵🏉