National 2 South
Taunton Titans 31, Barnes 31

THIS was a game where it looked like the Christmas break came at the wrong time for the Titans, as they looked off the pace and made too many simple mistakes, writes Keith Brooking.

Indeed, they were fortunate to come away with some points, their home match with Barnes finishing 31-31.

It was the visitors who started the brightest and capitalised on a Titans mistake with winger Robbie Martey going in at the corner.

The first time the Titans kept hold of the ball captain Nick Mason hit a great line and went in under the posts - Gary Kingdom hit the post with the conversion, meaning it stayed 5-5.

With the game tied the play went back and forth with the Titans making mistake after mistake when they were in attacking positions, which Barnes capitalised on every time.

The visitors retook the lead 10 minutes later when hooker Edouard Alteirac came from the back of a driving maul and scored; full-back Tom O’Toole converted to extend their advantage.

The Titans tied the game once again when second row Sean Lonsdale went in under the posts and Kingdom converted.

The hosts then put the pressure on Barnes and were rewarded with a try when back row Conor Harbison snuck under a ruck to score.

Kingdom converted again to give the Titans the lead for the first time at 19-12.

Barnes went on the attack and after the Titans gave another penalty away Barnes kicked to the corner, before O’Toole scored in the opposite corner to make the half time score 19-17.

Taunton then committed rugby suicide at the start of the second half when they had a 5m scrum on their own line and tried to play away, but ended up passing straight to Barnes centre James Hersey who welcomed the late Christmas present and scored.

The conversion was successful from O’Toole to give Barnes the lead again at 24-19.

The Titans then brought on some fresh legs and were rewarded with a try out wide from a driving maul scored by Jon Gatford to tie the game again 24-24.

Taunton then took the lead with 10 minutes to go when prop Jack Owlett powered his way over out wide.

Kingdom converted for a seven-point lead, but the Titans let it slip once more after conceding needless penalties.

Barnes were on the attack when Gatford was the first player to see a yellow card under the new RFU rulings, and the away side used the man advantage to score in the corner through winger Fraser Carlisle.

O’Toole converted from the touch line to level, and the visitors were unlucky not to snatch the win with the last play of the game, as a drop goal was pushed wide.

Taunton Titans: Kingdom, Struminski (East 43), Mason (Capt), Fraser, Bright, Landray, Webb, Chase (Caulfield 52), Spurdle (Gatford 52), Owlett, Persey, Lonsdale, Harbison (Lugg 49), Vakalutukali, Prior (Frost 40).
Barnes: O’Toole, Martey, Cornish, Hersey (Butler 55), Carlisle, Williams-Davies (Foster 49), Franklin, Khaldi (Milford-Scott 73), Alteirac (Kopra 58), Milford-Scott (Wakeford 52), Crane, Collins, Steele, Malaney, Crossland (Chambers 58).