MINEHEAD Barbarians endured a tough afternoon on the road as they fell 34–17 to well-organised Clevedon in Counties Two South, in a match where availability issues and disruption before kick-off proved difficult to overcome.

The Barbarians were already stretched heading into the fixture, with several players unavailable at this stage of the season. Matters were compounded on the morning of the game when experienced and dependable lock Ben Willes was forced to withdraw through injury, leaving Minehead with a reshuffled pack against a physically dominant opposition.

Clevedon made their intentions clear early on, controlling the set piece and building much of their success around a powerful driving maul that consistently put Minehead under pressure. Their efficiency in these areas allowed them to dictate territory and possession for large periods of the game.

Despite this, Minehead showed resilience throughout and produced several promising passages of play. When opportunities came, they took them well. Luke Milton crossed for one of the Barbarians’ tries, while Sam Chinn continued his outstanding season with a brace, taking his tally even higher and keeping Minehead in contention during key moments of the match.

Defensively, the Barbarians worked tirelessly, with their effort and commitment preventing the scoreline from stretching further. Leading from the front was number 8 Dave Edwards, whose physicality and work rate earned him a well-deserved Man of the Match performance.

Close behind was Reece Hollingsworth, who marked his 50th 1st team appearance with an impressive display, highlighting the young player’s growing influence.

Ultimately, Clevedon’s control of the fundamentals proved decisive, but Minehead can take positives from their determination and attacking contributions in difficult circumstances.

Attention now turns to this coming weekend, as the Barbarians return home with the chance to finish the season unbeaten on their own ground with league leaders Burnham-on-Sea being the visitors, needing a single point to secure the title.