Barking's Charlie Baffour-Awuah was on hand with a try in their 32-10 defeat yesterday. Pic: Rosalind Butt

National Two South: Barking 12 Hartpury College 45

Barking director of rugby Nick Warren read his players the riot act at half-time on Saturday, after they found themselves 33-0 down at Gale Street.

A 25-minute spell to forget left the home side facing an uphill struggle and although they got on the scoreboard with tries for Cliff Basson-Street and Scott Shaw in the second half, they went on to lose for a 17th time in 18.

“I was very strict with the players at half-time,” said Warren.

“I’m sick and tired of how we are always praising the second-half performance and conditioning of the team. There has to be an 80-minute performance.

Cold

“They really caught us cold in the opening 25 minutes. There had been a lot of talk about five of their players being called up for the England University team.

“That had changed the way we approached the game but the players that came in for them were equally as strong.

“It was only at 33-0 down that we started playing and the scoreline of 12-12 after that shows it was an even contest from then on.”