Following Norton blowing hot and cold in the last couple of games, drawing with high flyers Keynsham and losing to also struggling Cirencester, Norton knew they would require a bonus point victory on Easter Monday to be 100% safe from the possibility of being relegated.
The home side started strong and from Ben Taylor's kick-off, put Barton Hill under pressure and forced the ball to be dropped. In the following scrum and few phases, James Abbott found himself in space and he had the pace to beat any covering tackles before he got over the try line.
After ten minutes or so, Barton Hill responded with a try of their own from an interception. Norton were still confident they were playing all the rugby in the opening half, however, and this was proved when Adam Sinden ghosted through a gap to go under the posts for Norton's second try.
Barton Hill managed to get over following a well-worked maul from a line-out. Midsomer Norton replied with a try of their own with Captain, Denning, touching down from a line-out maul. At half-time, the score was 15–24, with Barton Hill kicking a penalty before half-time.
The home side started the second half as they started the first, with the bonus point fourth try coming from Ben Taylor, who converted his own try. Following the try, Taylor kicked a penalty for Norton to take the lead, now 25–24.
Barton Hill scored a converted try to take the lead again, but Denning scored an identical try as his first to take it to a one point game. Unfortunately, in the closing minutes, Norton couldn't get the points they needed to win the game, but had to settle with taking two league points, taking them from thirteenth position in the league to eleventh, which may see them safe – it just depends on the league below's play-off fixture and how South West Rugby drop the third team from the league.
On Saturday, the First Team travel to Corsham in the first round of the Bath Combo Vase, where the winner plays Calne in the quarter-finals.