Barnies Untied bring home draw, injuries from Cowra road trip

With player numbers dwindling Barnstoneworth United A grade took on Cowra, a tricky load trip on Saturday.

Cowra were first to score. After pinching the ball the Cowra winger calmly chipped keeper Matt Delaney who could do nothing but admire the pin point strike. Cowra moved the ball around well at times but Barnies United worked well defending their lines. Mitch Jacobs returning from a forced leave toiled well up-front and along with strike partner Lachie Peet, recovering from having wisdom teeth extracted earlier in the week, were a constant threat throughout the game.

Some great lead up work down Barnies right side culminated in a pin point cross which saw midfielder Sam Sutton stroll calmly in stealth-mode to swing the ball past the keeper who was proving difficult to beat.

Bill Foster was a standout from the opening whistle and his name was sung by the adoring crowd. The save of the day was without question Delaney not only blocking a fierce drive from the Cowra number 9, but backing up with his ability to hold onto the ball.

As the match drew to an end club stalwart Niall Cummings sustained a nasty knee injury which may see him sitting on the sideline in a growing casualty ward.

In the end a one-all draw was a good result for United.

Unfortunately for Utd the bus trip home resulted in further injuries concerns with Jacobs possibly reacting to some food poisoning and was nearly taken to emergency with medical staff worried about dehydration.

Foster himself came to emergency services attention as entering the Orange area as his voice was hoarse. The coaching staff will hold a recovery session to determine their availability as initial estimates have 8 fit players ready for the weekend.

Barnies officials would like to thank Cowra for their hospitality and a special mention to bus driver John Harpley who had to endure a load of seasoned over 35 and youthfully A grade personnel on the return trip. Both the A Grade and C Grade Barnies team then enjoyed refreshments and dinner at the Cowra Eagle’s sponsor, the Lachlan Valley Hotel. The teams made the slow journey back to Orange via watering holes at Canowindra and Cargo, with the highlight of the bus trip the imaginative array of songs being lead by United captain Matt Downer.

In other A-Grade games, Barnies FC ground out a 3-3 draw against Waratahs United, while club-mates Barnies Saints were on the sharp end of a defeat at Redmond Oval.

After the game, captain Ash Honeysett conceded : “We were completely undone.”

“Thanks to several deflections, and also just being outplayed we were thumped 9-1 by Milthorpe Tigers,” Ash Honeysett admited.