Barbarians versus Genesee Creamers 2007

Whatever evil design condemned the Genesee Creamers to consecutive road trips to Binghamton in 2006 and 2007 didn't discourage the travelers. They saw the lush, sodden, and insect-infested Cole Park in 2006, and in 2007 got to thump around on the blacktop-hard surface of the supposedly-reseeded Sandy Beach Park. A tour of Binghamton! In 2006 the Barbarians were relieved that the mud-thick pitch at Cole Park had slowed some of the Creamers' young backs, and some had wondered what the result would have been had the match been played at the perpetually hard and fast Sandy Beach field. Well, they found out Saturday.

Strangely, though, it wasn't the backline, per se, that earned the Creamers their victory, but a powerful and experienced pack, constant support, and always having men around the ball in open space. Binghamton runners in open space had little support most of the time, a ball carrier careening into Genesee's defense and struggling to maintain possession on his own for precious seconds while Barbarian support, slow in coming, finally arrived, often too late. The Creamers, on the other hand, often enjoyed very close support, and that's where the speed of their backs came in most useful, as Genesee recycled possession and turned quick ball into overloads and into scores.

The Barbarians were at their most effective when things broke down and all that was left to do was run and look for someone in support. After collecting a kick over the Creamer backline, flanker Jim O’Brien offloaded to pursuing center Josh Lapallo, who scored under the posts. Fullback Jeff Devennie added the conversion to bring Binghamton to within seven points. The first half closed with Genesee leading 17-7.

The Creamers pressed the attack in the second half, sending kick after kick deep to fullback Devennie, who did a superior job keeping the Barbarians out of trouble with huge kicks to touch, try-saving tackles, and good defensive support in the line. Unfortunately, Binghamton was unable to convert any of Genesee’s deep kicks into sustained or productive counterattacks. Something to work on…

Unusual for the Barbarians for a home opener was a dearth of starters at various positions. For one reason or another, Binghamton was without its full starting pack, and the Creamers took full advantage, wheeling as often as they could and, initially, overpowering the Barbarians in the scrum. Binghamton rectified the disadvantage as the game wore on and both packs tired somewhat, and capitalized on a penalty play close to the Creamer goal line midway through the second half to touch down a try under the posts through flanker O’Brien. Another Devennie conversion kept faint Barbarian hopes alive.

But the Creamers kept up the pressure and denied the Barbarians the cracks that might have allowed them to get back in the game, touching down two tries in the second half for the 31-14 Opening Day result.