BONUS POINT WIN AGAIN FOR SEASIDERS

Penarth 31-17 Penygraig (HT 17-12)

Penygraig are struggling to make an impression on Division 3 East Central this season, but they did manage to be very effective in frustrating the efforts of leaders Penarth for eighty minutes. Not effective enough to deny the Seasiders a fifth bonus-point win, though. The result was never in doubt, but with Penarth looking to unleash their deadly back division at every opportunity, three of the five tries were claimed by forwards.

Penarth took all of five minutes to get going and even managed to fall three points behind to an early Penygraig penalty. An attacking line-out at the other end of the pitch was somehow mis-managed, but at the resulting scrum Spencer Robinson forced an error on his opposite number, allowing Cam Sultana to feed the waiting James Docherty on the touchline for the first try.

Playing with a stiff breeze at their backs, the visitors always had a short-cut to the home 22 and soon converted another penalty to re-take the lead. The Seasiders were working hard to work their fast boys into space, only to be continually disappointed by not being allowed to build enough momentum. The break-through finally arrived via an unexpected channel. Cam Sultana, revelling in his role on the blindside flank, stole ball from a line-out on his own 10-metre line and slipped though on the narrow side. Looking for support, he beat a couple of tacklers before deciding he’d better do it on his own and smoothly accelerated to complete a 60-metre solo score.

Satisfying though this was, it didn’t change the messy nature of the game. Penygraig pulled back three points with another penalty to close the lead to 10-9, but the Seasiders had one more score up their sleeves before half-time. After much probing around the visitors’ 22, Docherty found a gap and space with Harry Wood on his shoulder. The speedy prop went round behind the posts for a 17-9 lead, only for Penygraig to pull back yet another penalty for a score of 17-12 at the break.

The second half began with problems for Penarth in the scum, of all places. The departure of captain Miles Jones might have been a factor there, but the next score wasn’t long in coming as Rhys Beynon came on to clean ball from the set-piece to score. With the new scoreboard showing a much healthier-looking 24-12 after 50 minutes and a bonus point in the bag, there were surely more tries to come.

However, circumstances led to the match settling down again to a stalemate. Several changes to personnel in the Seasiders’ pack gave Penygraig something to work on and string of penalties and resets trapped the home side in their own 22 for long periods.

It wasn’t until the last five minutes that Penarth finally won a penalty and were allowed to clear their lines. Moving upfield, they won a line-out in the visitors’ 22, hoping to finally put the game to bed. The try duly arrived, but only after total confusion in the line-out as the throw evaded both jumpers and hit the deck. Then there was replacement prop Sam Sully, who carefully followed the ball, picked it up in the bounce and slalomed though to secure his side’s fifth try.

Cue return to the second-half stalemate, but with one crucial difference as their number 8 broke free from a scrum to score his side’s consolation try!

The Seasiders stay five points clear at the top of the table, and the top three are beginning to ease away from the rest Two more league fixtures before Christmas, starting with a visit to Llandaff Fields next Saturday to face Clwb Rygbi Cymry Caerdydd. The Cymry are sitting comfortably in fifth place, but fully 14 points behind Penarth.

© Peter Weston 14-Dec-22

PENARTH:

Josh Hurley, George Roberts, Josh Powell, Rhys Beynon, Ben Wellington, James Docherty, Spencer Robinson, Harry Wood, Bradman Williams. Ryan Jones (Geraint Williams), Matt Allen, Andy Lang, Cam Sultana, Miles Jones (Tom Griffiths), Tom Marsh.

Scorers: James Docherty (try), Rhys Beynon (try), Cam Sultana (try), Harry Wood (try), Sam Sully (try), Josh Hurley (3 conversions).