11/10/2026
Report by Ken Watkins
Admiral National League Division 2 East Central
Ynysybwl 3 Barry RFC 45
Five second half tries underlined Barry’s confidence, growing throughout this game, although the final scoreline made the victory look easier than it was. The Bombers had to work hard at times, particularly early in the first half, but after the interval they were only occasionally troubled.
Barry normally expect a hard game at Ynysybwl, and the opening minutes suggested the match would prove the customary stern test as the Bombers struggled to get out of their 22, and needed some determined defence to keep the hosts at bay.
Although the balance shifted when Barry broke out strongly to score twice in a five-minute spell, the first two of Josh Edwards’ three tries, Ynysybwl still proved a challenge, and the 14-3 interval scoreline gave no indication of what was to come.
“Not many sides will come up here and get 45 points against Ynysybwl,” said coach Matt Silva. “They are very tenacious, and they always stay in the game, which they did today. It was a good 45, but not an easy 45. We had to work for it.
“When you are doing well in the league sometimes there’s too much emphasis on being a bit risk averse, but I thought today they mixed it up well. They tried to play when it was on, and didn’t just try and play a power game today which doesn’t always work against some of the Valley teams,” Silva added.
“Considering we’ve got a fairly young side I thought we were excellent. The scrum was excellent, the lineout was excellent. I thought today we were very competent, and then we saw the confidence. If we can keep that rolling into next week, and get a good result, we are good for being top of the league by right.”
Barry’s power paid off at the start of the second half when scrum pressure resulted in a penalty try, and when the bonus point try was scored shortly arrived, the game really was over as a contest. Ynysybwl had a spell of pressure in the middle of the half, but once again Barry’s defensive work blunted the threat.
And three more tries in the final ten minutes left Barry, on 15 points, a point clear of Llandaff at the top of the table, the teams meeting at the Reservoir Field on Saturday. Both have won their first three matches, Barry scoring 19 tries for a positive 99 points difference against Llandaff’s 48.
Timeline: 15 minutes – Alyn Evans surges towards the line, pressure pays off with Josh Edwards touching down, Morgan Prosser converts, 0-7; 20 mins – Edwards rounds off a swift handling move, Prosser converts, 0-14; 37 mins – Ynysybwl close the gap through Oliver Carey’s long-range penalty, 3-14.
43 mins – Scrum pressure, penalty try, 3-21; 54 mins – Evans drives over from a tap penalty, 3-28; 70 mins – Billy Payne intercepts deep in his own half and outpaces the defence 3-33; 75 mins – Joe Gatt charges down a kick, collects, and scores 3-38; 80 mins – Pressure on the line pays off again, Edwards completes his hat-trick, Prosser converts 3-45.
