Richmond 19 Barnes 12 Richmond just hung on in a nail-biting finish to maintain their 100 per cent record in the league when overcoming Barnes 19-12 at the Athletic Ground, writes Ted Brown.

This was a battle between the top of the table titans, for neighbours Barnes had briefly usurped the top spot whilst Richmond had been away on cup duty, but now have regained pole position.

Both sides demonstrated a standard of football which, as has oft been said before, demands higher status, providing exciting entertainment for the 700 spectators.

It is difficult not to describe the match as a game of two halves' but, as no doubt was the case at other grounds, the weather dominated proceedings, and skipper Andy Cuthbert made a major contribution to his side's success when winning the toss and electing to play with the strong wind advantage. His reward was 14 points on the board before Barnes had seriously entered Richmond territory.

Nevertheless the home side were far from fluent as their opponents did not allow them to establish their customary superiority. But hard work by the pack and repeated recycling of the ball enabled the redoubtable lock Henry Head to force his way over from close in for the opening score, to which Sean Flynn added the extra points.

At this point a blizzard was unleashed on the ground and as spectators dived for cover Richmond won a lineout some 12 metres out and with winter at their rear but a spring in their step, they drove over the try line with prop Dom Little claiming the touchdown. The much-improved Flynn made a superb conversion. Then after 25 minutes Tigger Woods and Chris Whiteley combined to put Mike McSweeney in for what proved to be a crucial try in the corner.

But as the weather relented Barnes got a grip on the game and they particularly challenged the home side in the lineout. Captain Ben Roome, ably assisted by Michael White and others, began to deny Richmond their usual possession. On one occasion from a lineout the ball was spun out to centre Stu Johnston who chipped ahead but was just beaten to the touchdown by the alert Whiteley for a 20-metre drop out.

In the second half Barnes' experienced fly half and coach, Carson Russell, exploited the conditions mercilessly as Richmond were sent scrambling back to recover his searching diagonal kicks. On the occasion that the home side needlessly conceded a five metre scrum, prop Dan Leigh finally got over at the third attempt from a short penalty and Russell converted well.

Barnes were now dominating territorially as Richmond, and in particular their sterling back row of Paul Wilson, Ross Evans and Ed Hallett, were reduced to tackling everything that moved. On one occasion, White appeared to have gone over, but the referee brought play back much to the chagrin of the visitors.

There were only ten minutes to go when Barnes spread the ball to their perhaps under used backs and orthodox passing down the line resulted in winger Andrew Beaver scoring a deserved try in the corner.

In the final minutes Barnes continued to hammer away at the Richmond line, however errors at crucial moments assisted the home side to hold them at bay in the most enthralling encounter at the Athletic Ground this season.

Undoubtedly both sides will be promoted, presumably to renew these engagements next year.

: Leigh, McSweeney, Whiteley, Taylor, Irving (Serfontein), Flynn, Woods, Allhusen (Lodder), Cuthbert (c), Little, Wilson, Head, Carr (Hull), Hallett, Evans.