Rosslyn Park 11 Barking 10

Park deserved their win on the strength of dominating the second half of the match, but they had to first endure the trauma of Barking fly-half Craig Ratford missing a last-second penalty that would have stolen the spoils for his side.

As often happens when two good sides meet, neither was able to get on top enough to display their full range of skills, but anything the match lacked in spectacle for the uncommitted it more than made up for in pulsating drama for both sets of supporters.

Barking were first out of the blocks, forcing Park to counter them rather than taking the initiative.

They gained a sixth-minute penalty, which Ratford hooked wide, but were soon back with a super try by scrum half Jack Gash, supporting on the outside. Ratford nailed a conversion far more difficult than the penalty he had missed two minutes earlier.

Park hardly needed spurring to action, but they responded with a great move up the right, prop Nick Huggett prominent, but the visiting defence were superb.

However, eventually the knocked on to give Park an attacking scrum in a dangerous position, from which they worked the ball to Ollie Lindsay-Hague who squeezed between two defenders for a cracking try after 13 minutes.

Ross Laidlaw’s conversion attempt hit the post.

Park were possibly just shading the play, but defences were well on top.

Born of frustration, a scuffle broke out which led to the sin binning of Huggett and Barking lock Stuart Riding: it looked a relatively minor incident and the two players had shaken hands before leaving the field and it was perhaps a slight over-reaction to brandish the yellow card.

Park were awarded the resulting penalty and Laidlaw nailed a super kick from out wide to put his side 8-7 ahead.

Park had to withdraw flanker Jonny Barrett to bring on replacement prop Brett Williams for the next scrummage, which resulted in a penalty to Barking, but Ratford’s kick fell short.

(In fairness, it should be reported that whilst overall the referee had a good game he persistently failed to ensure that the scrum was properly bound and then penalised the wrong player as a result).

On the half-hour Park forced a penalty on halfway that Laidlaw narrowly missed, but he made amends four minutes later with a good kick from 40m out.

But Barking came back into injury time, kicked a penalty to touch and Park knocked on from the line out.

At the scrummage, again a Barking prop was not properly bound but Park were again penalised for bringing it down.

Ratford made no mistake with the penalty for 11-10 at the interval, probably an accurate reflection of a very even half.

Park started the second half with a massive maul towards the Barking line, but the defence was equal to it.

Further good play sent Lindsay-Hague on a dangerous run but the ball was lost in contact.

It was all “no quarter asked” stuff from both sides, Barking lock Dan Lloyd-Jones seeing yellow for dirsrupting play, but Park had more possession and spent long periods in the Barking half.

Laidlaw got clattered by Barking number eight James Kellard: there is no suggestion whatsoever of anything illegal, but Laidlaw required a long visit from the physio and looked shaken up – this may have had more influence than was realised at the time.

Park attacked again when their own high kick was caught superbly and Barking were forced to concede a penalty 45 metres out but Laidlaw’s kick hadn’t the legs to get over.

Three minutes later, still under pressure, Barking conceded another penalty, this time only 25m out but Laidlaw – who has made the most difficult kick appear routine all season – unaccountably missed it.

It wasn’t quite all one-way traffic, and Park were forced to concede at the opposite end and Ratford missed a difficult kick.

Park came back with a big attack, which Barking defended magnificently but eventually they were caught offside in front of their own posts.

Again the kick was missed. Park continued to press, and another straightforward penalty was awarded but this one hit the post.

Instead of being out of sight going into injury time Park were still only a point ahead, when they conceded a penalty just inside their own half. Ratford took it on, but it was beyond his distance.

Barking gamely battled deep into injury time to try to save the match and when Park conceded a penalty close to their own 22, which would be the last kick of the match, a silence gripped the ground.

Ratford’s kick was always going wide, but it was difficult to say which was loudest: the cheer for Park’s victory, or the collective sigh of relief.

Park: Davies; Lindsay-Hague, Sweeney, Jewell, Swords; Laidlaw (Pugh); Barr: Huggett (Williams, safety), Ritchie (Jones, blood), Collier (Williams); Pape, Slade; Gates (Jones), Barrett (Underwood), Lock.

Sub not used: O’Driscoll

Park scorers: Lindsay-Hague (T), Laidlaw (P, C).