Barnard Castle Rugby Club
BARNEY finally succumbed to recognition that promotion this season was no longer feasible as in the toughest of finishing schedules – playing all three clubs vying for the same top two spots within a week – their stamina and squad numbers finally ran out.
Losses at home to Westoe and then to Consett the Saturday after overshadowed a superb midweek win against league leaders Durham City and were critical in the final outcome.
Consett, in particular, upped their own game and beat both Castle and Durham at home to snatch the league leadership at the death from Durham City in the most competitive league title run-ins for many years.
Castle’s faintest hope would be that provided they could win at Guisborough last Wednesday and Consett suffered a loss on Saturday they could sneak home.
However it was not to be achieved on either count with their game at Guisborough having to be abandoned due to a severe injury to a player and in any case Consett trouncing a Gateshead side who had nothing to play for.
The disappointment should not take the shine off what has been the finest season ever, winning home and away against Durham City, beating ultimate league champions Consett at home and maintaining top of the league status for long periods of the season.
All that was achieved with a side that had plenty of emerging young talent to admire, in particular the youth of George Welsby, Miles Brookes, Dean Bainbridge, Andrew West and Harvey Barkes.
One wonders what would have happened had the weather not intervened and killed the Castle momentum that was in its pomp back through November.
The nemesis side was Westoe who beat Castle narrowly up on Tyneside in a game that Barney felt they should have won and then turned over a below-par Castle on their own turf a week or so back.
Castle do, however, have the opportunity to regain some bragging rights when they take on Westoe once again in the Durham Intermediate County Cup final to be played at the Durham City ground on Tuesday, May 8.
The second team too, had an improved season.
Having struggled in 16/17 in the more competitive Candy League, failing to win any of their league encounters, this year they won seven of their 21 league games and in the process had the highest try bonus score in the league.
Again the side is bristling with a mix of some old hands and some young exciting talent in the form of Charles Garland, Jon Lucas, Jack Tobbell and Matt Brunskill in particular.
With improvements to the defence next season one will hope to see further advancements to the overall playing record.
Finally, a sign of the overall club health has been the emergence of both an occasional third team side that enjoyed five outings this season under the dynamic leadership of Richie Johnson and also a ladies side under the tutorage of Paul Davis, with some of the girls going on to gain county-level experience.
The club will be recognising more personal achievements in their presentation night ceremonies taking place on Friday and Saturday, May 11 and 12.
Dave Bottoms
