North Walsham Vikings rugby team went down to Barnes 39:19 on Saturday, but the match was closer than the scoreline would suggest. 

The Vikings were unfortunate not to come away with at least a bonus point after one of their best performances of the season.

Ten minutes into the second half fourth placed Barnes appeared to be pulling away at 33 – 19, but thereafter it was mainly the visitors going forward and an upset looked possible until a late try.

It was a converted try apiece after 10 minutes, the Vikings second to score, Matt Hodgson creating space for Sikorski’s try after play had gone through around a dozen phases.

Barnes bounced back to soon make it 14 – 7 before, with the game entering the second quarter, it became level pegging again, Riley gathering Loose’s kick pass after another patient build-up.

Play was then briefly fairly even but the final ten minutes of the half belonged to the hosts with two tries from their forwards, one converted. 26 -14 at the break.

The 12-point deficit looked far from insurmountable and four minutes into the second half it became seven, Smith slicing through the middle in a well-executed set move, racing 35 metres.

Five minutes later though the gap was back to 12.

Many sides would now have folded but not the Vikings who looked for the next twenty minutes much the likelier to score.

With 10 minutes left they seemingly had the perfect opportunity to cut the lead to seven with a fourth try and hence bonus point, and the potential for more.

They won a penalty deep in Barnes’ half, kicked for the corner and duly won the lineout, but in forming the maul were penalised.

Two further penalties in quick succession then took Barnes to a five-metre lineout from which they scored.

The Vikings poured forward searching their fourth try, but the scoring opportunity didn’t come, Barnes defending stoutly.

“A performance to be proud of,” commented James Knight.

“We’re now competing well against the league’s best sides, we deserved something from today.”

Scott was TaxAssist Accountants Man of the Match, “the forwards were outstanding, Frank as ever at the heart of it.”