By Adam Hookway

There was no winning send-off for Tonbridge Juddians after a 43-36 National League 2 East defeat to Barnes in their final home game of the league season.

A large crowd were treated to a fast start, Will Holling driven over from a lineout and then Luke Talbot finishing off a slick backs move to put TJs 12-0 up - Tom White adding the conversion.

Barnes managed to hit back immediately with a try of their own, but on 24 minutes the TJs forwards made good ground, Tommy Nicoll cut a line and as the ball was spun back, and then left, Ryan Munnely and Will Colderick were lurking on the wing and the latter dived over in the corner.

However third-placed Barnes were not going away and TJs ended the half on the back foot. Two tries and a conversion narrowed the game up and the half-time whistle couldn’t come soon enough with the Londoners now leading 19-17.

They extended their lead to nine points on 48 minutes as TJs defence was found wanting and the Barnes left-winger helped himself to the first of his three second-half tries.

Tonbridge hit back as they found some power to their game again and Duncan Tout shrugged off his would-be tacklers with White’s conversion cutting the gap to just two points.

A Barnes penalty extended their lead again, though, and their left-winger’s second try, with not much of a hand on him, kept the Judds in arrears entering the final quarter.

Shadyn Osgood added to the Tonbridge try count when he flummoxed Barnes with a tricky stride before bursting through. White’s extras made it 36-31 with 14 minutes still to go and Will Colderick and Alex Reid, the latter earning his 100th TJ cap, made some threatening runs as the hosts went looking for more.

Barnes kept pegging TJs back but a couple of good kicks and a penalty took TJs to the Barnes corner on 70 minutes and Holling was over again for his second try.

But it was the visitors managed the ball and territory the better as the clocked ticked down and they clinched victory through their left-winger’s third second-half score.

Defeat drops Tonbridge to fifth, with Barnes up to second, ahead of the final round of matches with TJs away to Westcombe Park on April 27.