No Program? No Problem. The Show Goes On at Pottington Road

Morning, you absolute legends of the touchline. Yes, it’s a rare beast indeed—a Mighty Barum blog post dropping into your feed like a perfectly weighted box kick. With the Chiefs and Athletic tearing up the tarmac on their travels, there’s no glossy digital programme to leaf through this weekend. So pour the coffee, settle in, and let this be your matchday bible.

The Feast Ahead

Pottington Road still roars. The Buccaneers—those magnificent marauders—hold the fort on the main pitch, locking horns with Exeter Saracens 2nd XV in a fixture that promises fireworks. Meanwhile, the Chiefs are bound for the Midlands, eyeing up Hinckley, while Athletic have a mere hop, skip and jump down the A379 to Kingsbridge.

And the Colts? They own Sunday. Bideford come calling for a 2.30pm collision in the National Cup that’ll set the week alight.

150 Anniversary

October doesn’t just bring rugby; it brings celebration. The club’s sesquicentennial festivities shift into overdrive with the Bottomless Brunch on 17th October—Barnstaple Athletic hosting Newton Abbot with the bubbles flowing from 12 pm. Check the poster, book your perch, and prepare for an afternoon of pure clubhouse carnage. the link to book is here

Barnstaple RFC Bottomless Brunch Tickets

The 150 Lotto? It’s going off like a prop’s temper. Eleven days until the next draw on 14th October, and the winners’ board is already groaning—Jenny Beer took the August spoils, while Mr S Fuller pocketed £150 in September. Will you be this month’s winner? The link’s waiting. https://draw.ourclublotto.co.uk/barnstaplerfc/

The Barnstaple and District Roundtable Firework Display closes the month with a bang—literally. This year’s theme? The Barnstaple colours, painting the night sky in celebration of 150 years. Details to follow, but clear the calendar now.

And to cap it all, we have Movember and a whole host of events as the players and staff once again look to raise funds. A month-long campaign held every November during which men grow moustaches to raise awareness and funds for men’s health issues, including prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health.

The following events for Movember will include

• 31 OCT | SHAVE DOWN
📍 After the senior games
🥸 Shave down ready for Movember

• 6 NOV | MO QUIZ 
 Doors 18:30 | Quiz 19:00
 Teams of up to 6
entry £5pp. Social & fundraising afterwards
• 14 NOV | MO SISTERS DAY
12:00 – 14:00 Ladies Day… with a tash! More info coming soon
• THROUGHOUT NOVEMBER
 Junior section Movember chats Weekly Mo & tash updates, Fundraising challenges & prizes

Buccaneers: Ready to Finish the Job

Today belongs to the Buccaneers. Following on from last weekend’s heroics, where they were so close to winning at South Molton, losing by a slender 33-31 points. They almost came good, having played some brilliant rugby, as Head Coach Lewis Joce points out, “a number of inexperienced players graduating from last season’s colts and playing competitive rugby for the first time this season”. Getting to within 2 points with less than ten minutes to go, two bonus points is always helpful and, away from home, a positive reward for a well-played game of rugby. 

It wasn’t until midway through the first half that the Bucc’s scored through Ted Lee, converted by Keyan McInerney, the first of three conversions on the day, who ten minutes later scored himself a try as well. In the second half, the Bucc’s stormed out of the gate, scoring after just 5 minutes through Harley Webb and then five minutes later with Ted Lee’s second. The try that secured the losing bonus point was from Sam Young scoring with just 5 minutes left on the clock.

So a really good result, which almost became a win as the Bucc’s almost snatched it in the dying seconds of the game but were thwarted. So a good opener to their season earning 2 valuable bonus points away from home. Their opponents today, though, have had an even bigger start to their campaign, scoring 60 points at home against their closest rivals, Exeter Engineers. So another big game for the Bucc’s as these two teams meet for the first time.

Last weekend.

Well, it was not a great weekend for our teams, with all three senior teams on the wrong side of the scoresheet. The Colts, however, did provide a silver lining with a strong performance, winning at Crediton 12-62.

For the Chiefs, it was a bitter disappointment for the Barnstaple faithful after what promised to be a big game, when the Chiefs pounded the Lymm defensive line for the first 15 minutes, ending with a 21-27 loss. For my account of the match, follow this link. Barnstaple Chiefs v Lymm Match Report

However, I think one Facebook commentator possibly summed the game up best with these words: “Game where unforced errors, a bit of luck and one or two poor decisions by an otherwise good ref held us to account.” Having said that, we were strong in the final 15-20 minutes, and it was in the end just a converted try from winning, which on several occasions we almost broke through.

The Chiefs face a Tough task at Hinckley. The Midlands men stumbled on opening day against Luctonians but have since bulldozed Loughborough, Bournville and Devonport, scoring freely and sitting pretty in fifth. Last season’s exchanges were pure box office: Hinckley took the home leg 41-31, but the Chiefs destroyed them at Pottington Road, 52-29. Revenge or repeat? Let’s see if the Chiefs journey back with smiles on their faces.

It was a tough lesson for Athletic as they faced last season’s relegated Regional Two powerhouse Cullompton on the second pitch, a pitch which is not always kind to our lads. Cullompton were first to score as they raced into the lead before Athletic got on the scoreboard with a brace of tries in the last 5 minutes from Scott Incledon and Chris Philpot, both converted by James Fyers. The second half went Cullomtons ‘ way again as they amassed 43 points at the end, with Athletic scoring again in the last minute through Luke Knight.

So not a great start by Athletic, However, they are notorious for having difficult first games of the season as they find their groove with many new players introduced early in the season. On this occasion, missing several key players and with five of last season’s Colts starting, it was also a very young team. However, if the season goes as it has done before, it won’t be long before these 5 Colts and the team as a whole will be back in the groove with winning ways.

This weekend, they are on the road to familiar faces as they travel to Kingsbridge, and we await what happens there, but I’m sure the coaches will be looking for a tighter match and scoreline.

Silver Linings

The Colts provided the weekend’s golden moment, demolishing Crediton 12-62 away from home. Their second 50+ points win, although again only in a friendly. Their season also starts now as they return to Pottington Road this Sunday to face Bideford in the National Cup. Kick-off is 2.30 pm. 

Next Week’s Teaser

Well, that’s it for this weekend. Next week the Chiefs are back home at Pottington Road for a 2,30pm kick off against Cinderford, and the Colts will be on the second pitch in their first league game of the season with a 2 pm kick-off against Topsham. Athletic are on the road to Redruth to face their 2nd XV, as are the Bucc’s, who head to Teignmouth.

I hope to see many of you here for the Bucc’s game, which promises to be a cracker of a game, and an even bigger crowd for the Chiefs game next weekend. As ever, enjoy your rugby wherever you are today, and we will catch up next weekend in the match day program.