FIVE-TRY SEASIDERS’ FIGHT-BACK
Treharris 54 – 29 Penarth (HT 26- 7)
The Seasiders, with a patched-together pack following late withdrawals, gave everything in a scrappy, rough-and-tumble game at sunny Treharris Park last Saturday, but still came off second best. With only two forwards in what you could call their accustomed positions, they gave a ferocious account of themselves and should be proud of their efforts.
Penarth even took the lead in a remarkably even first half as Dan Seal led the way and a telling break from captain Rhys Morgan, lining up on the openside flank, set Aaron Thomas running on the left wing. Recycled ball quickly worked out to the left, where Ben Hill broke a last-ditch tackle to score behind the posts.
Treharris, for all their bluster, were having all sorts of trouble getting into the Penarth 22, but caused terrible damage when they did. Two tries in two minutes brought them the lead by the 14th minute, but the Seasiders managed to keep them penned in their own half until the 39th minute.
The Phoenix then scored another unlikely brace of tries before half-time to put the game beyond a stunned Penarth. Trailing 26-7 at the turn-round, they rallied in the second half to score four more tries for a bonus point. Treharris threw everything at them from the kick-off, but over-cooked things, allowing Owain Lord to make a clean intercept in his own 22 and run all the way to the line. Tom Smith was in support all the way, but the hosts ran clever interference to prevent the offload. However, Lord cleverly got the pass away to Aaron Thomas who completed the score.
The Phoenix totted up another score straight from the restart as the Seasiders’ handling let them down and the Treharris hooker pounced to score.
Trailing 33-12, Penarth were still making all the running and Kevin Maddox was over under the posts as the referee decided there’d been crossing, but they were not to be denied as Lord made another clean break with Alan Doyle in support. The tighthead prop had support in place, but didn’t need it as he drove to the line,
Unfortunately the Seasiders were beginning to tire and Treharris continued their annoying habit of scoring in bursts as they clocked up another three tries in ten minutes to lead 54-19 going into the last five minutes,
Undeterred, Penarth stuck to their guns as they went in search of a fourth try for a bonus point. This duly arrived on 77 minutes as a tapped penalty from Maddox failed to come off, but a second immediately afterwards turned out differently. Spencer Robinson took this one and simply skipped and accelerated through the entire defence for a great solo try
The scrum-half even went one better on the stroke of full time as he picked up a pass on the Treharris 10 metre line and weaved his way over from 40 metres despite the close attention of four defenders.
In a rearranged fixture, The Seasiders will now travel to meet Clwb Rygbi Cymry Caerdydd at Pontcanna Fields next Saturday.
PENARTH – Tom Smith, Aaran Thomas, Owain Lord, Rhys Beynon, Ben Hill, Morgan Smith (Kevin Maddox), Spencer Robinson, Harrison Pugsley, Ryan Jones, Alan Doyle, Dan Seal, Owain George (James Crothers), Alex Fulton, Rhys Morgan, Chris Mortimer.
Scorers – Hill (T), A.Thomas (T), Doyle (T), Robinson (2T), T.Smith (2C)
