Match Report – Saturday 24 October 2015

PENARTH 45 – TREHERBERT 7

There was an interesting take on the ‘game of two halves’ cliché at the Athletic Field on Saturday. I suspect that no one who has been following the fortunes of the two combatants this season can have been surprised by Penarth’s total domination of the first forty minutes. What was a surprise was the slip into general confusion and mayhem in the second forty.

Penarth fielded a side with a couple of notable absentees and positional changes but nevertheless looking strong enough. And so it transpired. A failed drop goal attempt by the visitors allowing keenly aware Nathan Smith to chip, juggle and collect then feed Adam Lewis on his shoulder who crossed the line unopposed.

The chip and run tactic worked yet again within minutes. This time it fell to Rhys Morgan to wrong foot the defence with a snappy change of direction. Wing Tom Hillman at the end of quick, clean passing found his wing partner James Crothers available to add the final touch.

So after fewer than ten minutes the combined dexterity of the home back division had created a 14 point advantage. From then on the result was never in any doubt.

However for a while Treherbert worked their way into home territory, successfully using their tall tight head prop Wes Brown as an unexpected line jumper. They exerted a sustained period of pressure but could not resist enhancing this with a bit of fisticuffs which allowed Penarth to regain a position well up field from where they set up their trademark driving line out and drove second row for the day Jerome Bryan over.

Not to be excluded the back division were straight back in the action. Yet another chip ahead was collected by Adam Lewis for his second and the side’s bonus point try. All this meaning that after only 20 minutes play 5 points were in the bag.

Ominously more fisticuffs followed and the referee gave the first of his several warnings to the team captains.

On the restart an absolute gem of a try was created. Lovely soft hands from Jerome Bryan in the line out were followed by a perfectly weighted cross field kick from Nathan Smith which only left Tom Hillman with a dazzling side step to execute before gliding over the line.

Two dismissals followed. Treherbert scrum half Sam Hodder collected a yellow card for a high tackle but the referee was taking increasing exception to Richard Merrett’s scrummaging and just on half time he collected a matching yellow card with Penarth leading 33 – 0.

A couple of adjustments by Penarth after the break saw James Docherty on as replacement. But no change was made to compensate for prop Merrett’s absence. At the first scrum Bryan moved from second row to his more familiar position.

Then fresh legs from the bench came on in a bunch with three substitutes, Owain George, Simon Barry and Mathew Alan taking the field.

For a while though Penarth took their foot off the accelerator. This and a series of penalties against conceded Treherbert field position. Ultimately this pressure was relieved by strong ball carrying from Richard Howell and there ensued yet more fisticuffs, more warnings from the referee and a yellow card for Tom Luck.

For a while this series of substitutions coupled with yellow cards made it impossible to clearly check who was involved and who was not and a quick unofficial headcount midway through the half it appeared to show that the game was being played 13 a side.

Thankfully the confused and increasingly niggly atmosphere was relieved by a devastating burst from replacement Kieran Carpenter. Collecting loose ball well inside his own half he set off weaving through the traffic to score through a series of vain attempts to stop him. A flash of lightning in the gloom of a messy stalemate.

Back in scoring mode Penarth relaxed again and allowed a soft consolation try. But straight away responded and left us with a scintillating climax of veteran Richard Merrett at full belt and clear of all the defence with only 25 metres remaining to cover. Not fancying the remaining trip he declined the score and he fed his skipper Scott Mackie who did the necessary.

The ref judged that any further proceedings would serve no good purpose and opted not to add any stoppage time.

Penarth:- R. Merrett; M. Good; A. Doyle; J. Bryan; O. James; R. Howell; A. Thau; S. Mackie (capt.); R. Morgan; N. Smith; J. Crothers; T. Luck; A. Lewis; T. Hillman; J. Candy. Replacements used M.Alan; S. Barry; O. George; J. Docherty; K Carpenter.

Penarth’s next league fixture is Saturday 7th November away at St. Peters.