LLANHARAN FIND A WAY. AGAIN

LLANHARAN (7) 20 PENARTH (12) 17 

This much we know: if you’re not at least three scores up going into the final quarter, the Dairymen will find a way a winning the game. So, with the Seasiders besting the hosts in almost all facets of the game, especially in the tight, they were only leading 17-14 with fifteen minutes to go.

We should have known. It was always going to be a tight game, it always is. A frantic first quarter featured only one score as Spencer Robinson went off on a 30-metre line-break. Quick hands from the breakdown deep in the home 22 found Evan Jones on the far touchline and his acceleration made enough space for Harry Williams to score in the corner.

All this time, the Penarth eight were calmly dismantling the Llanharan scrum, but failing to satisfy the referee that this was simply due to being dominant. Still, the Seasiders stuck to their guns and were rewarded with a second try on the half-hour. A penalty yielded an attacking line-out on the home 22 and Miles Jones switched to the front and made 15m. The supporting Tom Griffiths was stopped on the line, but popped up again on the recycle to claim the score.

On the stroke of half-time, the Dairymen finally secured field position in the Seasiders’ 22 as their openside forced his way over after a short siege. That Penarth were only 12-7 ahead at this point was unfortunately due to a lot of unforced errors and missed scoring opportunities.

The opening quarter in the second half largely mirrored the first, in that there were no further scores. Plenty of niggle and fierce competition, together with the Seasiders being reduced to 13 with a yellow card. Penarth continued to dominate, but failed to turn this into any points. All the disruption suited Llanharan just fine though, as they actually eased into the lead on the hour with a rare visit to the red zone resulting in a try by their hooker.

Despite all the chaos, the Seasiders kept on trying to impose some order on proceedings as Llanharan had now lost a player to a yellow card. Opting to scrummage in the home 22, the pack held their opponents’ defensive shove and gained momentum. Instead of attempting a push-over, Robinson instead scooped the ball out and darted round the short side, putting Josh Hurley in for the third try and a 17-14 lead.

The remaining 15 minutes were not a happy place for Penarth, as a deluge of whistles and disruptions preventing any continuity. The Dairymen seemed to find this quite conducive as they almost inevitably closed the game out. A converted penalty on 77 minutes brought the scores level and their outside-half put his side into the lead for the first time on the stroke of full-time. Even then, the Seasiders carved out an opportunity to gain the winning score as Alex Thau tapped a penalty in the Llanharan 22, but all to no avail.

Llanharan return to the Athletic Field next Saturday in Round one of the Division 1 Cup.

Penarth: Josh Hurley, Leon Appiah (George Roberts), Andy Richards, Rhys Beynon, Harry Williams (Tom Hillman), Ben Jones, Spencer Robinson (Ifan Sion), Geraint Williams, Tom Griffiths (Bradman Williams), Alan Doyle (Ryan Jones), Owen Lloyd, Cameron Sultana, Evan Jones, Miles Jones ©, Alex Thau (Harry Roberts)

Scorers: Harry Williams (try), Tom Griffiths (try), Josh Hurley (try, conversion)

Division 1 Cup

Saturday 5^th October 2024

PENARTH v Llanharan  

Athletic Field, Lavernock Road, CF64 3QH

Kick-off 2.30pm 

© Peter Weston 30-Sep-24

SEASIDERS HIT THE GROUND RUNNING

BARRY (3) 3 PENARTH (21) 45 

It’s been a long wait since mid-May to find out how the Seasiders were likely to fare in Division 1 East Central and the opening game at least gave us a glimpse. One thing was abundantly from the outset: the team is looking even more well-drilled and competitive.  

The Bombers, in front of a substantial home crowd, were also looking to find their feet after an indifferent 2023-4 season and brought a high level of commitment to their cause. They even took the lead after only 3 minutes with an Aled Rees penalty. Unfortunately, this was as good as it got for the hosts and they were not to trouble the scorers again.

The Seasiders responded with more enthusiasm than technique, but dominated the next phases, eventually tapping a penalty in the 22 and passing inside to Rhys Beynon, coming on to the ball like a train and scoring under the posts. Despite losing a player to a yellow card, Barry dug their heels in and there was no further score for 15 minutes.

Penarth dominated possession throughout and the Bombers were put under immense pressure, until the ball was worked out to Luc Keane-Adams. The left wing jinked inside to put the defence on the wrong foot, allowing Spencer Robinson to take them on the outside and run round behind the posts.

As half-time approached, early niggle had turned into widespread ill-discipline and the referee had to read the riot act in order for play to continue. A series of scrums in the home 22 ensued, finally resulting in the Seasiders’ third try from full-back Josh Hurley.

The second half opened with a Penarth line-out 25m from the line and as Alex Thau made the line-break into the 22, Keane-Adams was in a perfect position to run it in at the corner.

The Seasiders’ pack were irresistible throughout, dominating in the scrum where pressure again told as Miles Jones pounced on a dislodged ball for the fifth try on 55 minutes and again for the sixth on the hour as Barry eight were walked backwards over the goal-line.

By this time, Penarth were beginning to get a bit ahead of themselves, as the backs launched attacks from everywhere, but as so often happens, they tried a little too hard and opportunities were missed. In the last move before the final whistle, Ben Jones headed for the corner flag, only to release the ball in the tackle, but George Roberts was on hand to pick up and score.

Sterner tests doubtless await in the coming weeks, but there was ample evidence here of a pre-season well spent. League tables after one round of games can be thoroughly misleading, but it’s still encouraging to see Penarth sitting pretty at the top.

There are no Div1 EC fixtures next weekend and the league programme resumes a week later with the visit of Abercwmboi RFC to the Athletic Field.

Penarth: Josh Hurley, George Roberts, Andy Richards, Rhys Beynon, Luc Keane-Adams, Ben Jones, Spencer Robinson (Ifan Sion), Geraint Williams (Harry Wood), Mason Good (Lewys Williams), Alan Doyle, Owen Lloyd, Cameron Sultana, Evan Jones, Miles Jones ©, Alex Thau (Harry Roberts)

Scorers: Miles Jones (2 tries), Rhys Beynon (try), Spencer Robinson (try), Josh Hurley (try), Luc Keane-Adams (try), George Roberts (try), Ben Jones (5 conversions).

SEASIDERS GAVE IT THEIR BEST SHOT

Division 2 Cup, Semi-Final:

PENARTH 9 – 23 LLANHARAN (HT 9-13)
Of course it was disappointing, of course the Seasiders gave their all and left nothing out
there. Of course it was just like most games against Llanharan, but this time it was on
neutral territory at the Bridge Field, Bedwas in the semi-final of the Division 2 Cup.
As usual, the sides were both at full strength, but when the Seasiders were reduced to 13
men early in the second half due to two yellow cards, it left them with a mountain to climb in
such a closely-contested match.
The Dairymen established an early lead after Penarth had missed two earlier penalty
attempts and led 0-6 after 23 minutes. Then Josh Hurley found his range and hit back with
three consecutive penalties (the second being a monster effort from 53 metres) to put the
Seasiders into the lead 9-6 after 38 minutes.
Not a bad position to be in as half-time approached, but Llanharan were able to establish
rare field position in the Penarth 22 and made the most of it. Successive drives and penalty
advantage brought them to the line, where Joe Buckle claimed the first try of the game and a
9-13 lead after 40 minutes.
The second half began badly as Ryan Hall stepped in to halt a counter-attack by the
Dairymen, but instead found himself on the wrong end of a yellow card. Sensing an obvious
advantage, the Dairymen stormed into the attack minutes later. They mauled a line-out to
the line, only for the referee to penalise a pulled-down maul and send Alex Thau off as well.
For a few wonderful minutes, 13-man Penarth fought back wonderfully and took the game to
Llanharan. The depleted pack was still going well with Ryan Jones putting in a huge shift,
but they eventually conceded a turnover at a ruck and the Dairymen’s number eight
slalomed through the defence. He was tackled short of the line, but numbers told as Jack
Walker followed up to score.
With the score now standing at 9-20 with 24 minutes remaining, the Seasiders had all the
work to do, but all the pressure was on them as well. With their numbers restored they set off
in search of a try, which alone could put them back in contention. Almost immediately
Robinson was tapping a penalty and sending Rhys Beynon through, but the move ended in
a knock-on.
The only score in the remaining minutes fell to Llanharan, as outside-half Scott Jones
brought his personal tally up to 13. The remaining minutes of the tie were played out in a
chaotic welter of handling errors and penalties for both sides, but the only genuine chance
came as Osian Coates broke the line, but was felled by a classic ankle-tap.
By then it was far too late to alter the outcome and the Dairymen rightly go forward to the
Principality Stadium next month to face Porthcawl.
PENARTH: Josh Hurley, George Roberts, Andy Richards (Osian Coates), Rhys Beynon,
Harry Williams, Ben Jones, Spencer Robinson, Geraint Williams (Harry Wood), Tom
Griffiths, Ryan Jones (Sam Sully), Cam Sultana, Dom Owen (Dan Cahalane), Miles Jones
©, Ryan Hall, Alex Thau
Scorers: Josh Hurley (3 penalties)

SEASIDERS SURGE INTO CUP SEMI-FINAL

Abertillery 17-52 PENARTH (HT 10-21)
Neither club really knew what to expect from this Division 2 Cup Quarter-Final, although
existing cup-holders Abertillery BG probably felt the tie was theirs to lose for all of ten
minutes. Ben Jones kicked Penarth in front with a 6 th -minute penalty, but his team were
already on top and the first try wasn’t long in coming. The Seasiders’ pressure forced The
Green and Whites to minor. Ben Jones then caught the drop-out, sending Harry Williams
haring off to the corner. The winger was tackled short of the line, but Spencer Robinson
was on hand to follow up for the try.
‘Tillery looked to force their way back into the game, but their approach was based on
physicality, which was to prove ineffective in the face of their well-drilled opponents’ tactics.
The second try came from a turnover to relieve pressure, but as Mike Lang looked to launch
an attack, he forced his way through a gap and outpaced the defence. Tom Griffiths was in
support and claimed the try for a 15-0 lead.
Against the run of play, the hosts came back powerfully as their inside centre came up with a
solo effort, blasting his way through three tackles to the line. A penalty conversion five
minutes later ended the Green and Whites’ sole period of dominance.
Penarth eased further ahead with penalties from Ben Jones and a 50-metre Josh Hurley
special and half-time was reached with the score standing at 10-21.
‘Tillery finally secured their second and final try seven minutes into the second half, but by
then the Seasiders had already stretched their lead from a Joe Williams tapped penalty and
a Rhys Beynon angled run to the line.
Penarth were now unstoppable and still full of ideas. From another turnover on half-way,
they worked the ball out to Hurley on the left-hand touchline. An exchange of passes with
Harry Wiliams left Ryan Hall with the responsibility of finishing the move and the number 8
forced his way over for the third try.
The hosts’ physicality was still in play as they dominated second-half proceedings in the
tight, but Penarth simply kept on scoring tries. A break-out from their own half was halted by
a high tackle on Harry Williams, only for the same thing to happen minutes later. The second
penalty yielded a line-out in the home 22 and the third drive to the line brought Robinson’s
second try.
With 15 minutes remaining and the score at 17-42 the game over as a contest, both sides
emptied their benches and stagnation set in. The Seasiders naturally continued to seek
further scores and Abertillery BG drove themselves to exhaustion trying to stem the flow.
A tip-tackle on Rhys Beynon reduced the hosts to 14 as the game entered the final ten
minutes and Hurley coolly slotted over the penalty from 48 metres. There was a lengthy
delay as an injured Cam Nation received attention and after the restart, the final attack from
the Green and Whites was snubbed out spectacularly as Cam Sultana intercepted and ran
the length of the field for the sixth try.

The Division 2 Cup semi-final will be at a neutral venue against old friends Llanharan on 23rd
March.

PENARTH: Josh Hurley, George Roberts (James Candy), Andy Richards, Rhys Beynon
(Osian Coates), Harry Williams (Joe Williams), Ben Jones, Spencer Robinson, Geraint
Williams (Harry Wood), Tom Griffiths (Mason Good), Ryan Jones (Sam Sully), Cam Sultana,
Dominic Owen (Cam Nation), Mike Lang (Max Woodman), Ryan Hall, Miles Jones ©

Scorers: Tom Griffiths (try), Spencer Robinson (2 tries), Rhys Beynon (try), Cam
Sultana (try), Ryan Hall (try), Ben Jones (conversion, penalty), Josh Hurley (2
penalties).