Dramatic penalty sees Barts through

Fly half Tom Heath kicked a penalty from inside his own 10 metre line with a minute left to give St Barts a dramatic 18-17 victory over Cheltenham Bournside under the lights at Newbury RFC.

Fortunes had swung this way and that in the rain and St Bart's still had to survive a scare when Bournside worked their way under their posts in a last desperate attempt to snatch victory. The referee blew for a penalty and apprehension turned to joy as Bournside were adjudged to have held on to the ball on the ground, enabling skipper Heath to kick to touch and end the game.

St Bart's had the best of the early exchanges with Heath scything trough for the opening try which he converted himself. After the fly half kicked a penalty to make it 10-0, the St Bart's forwards lost control and Bournside came back to score twice before half time, the second converted to establish a 12-10 half time lead. It got worse with Bournside pinning the home side in their own half and stretching their lead to 17-10 with another converted try. But afterholding up Bournside twice when they were over the line, a resolute St Bart's hit back with ten minutes left centre Phil Simmons put winger Philip Walters in for a try. Heath missed a difficult conversion but he was savingthe best until last.