SEASIDERS HIT THEIR STRIDE TOO LATE

Abercynon 27 Penarth 19 – Saturday 6 December 2014

The first game following the Autumn International Series break saw Penarth playing away from Home at Y Parc, Abercynon last Saturday.

Abercynon being that much faster to the breakdown. On the occasions when the visitors attempted to move the ball, the hosts were also comfortable in defence. Nevertheless, it was not until ten minutes of the game had gone by and the Penarth three quarters were caught offside that Abercynon actually took the lead. Kurtis Williams their number 14 converting the penalty from 30metres.

Despite Penarth trying to gain ground any progress was consistently halted by the home team who continued to put the visitors on the back foot with a well-drilled defence. At the other end of the park, things weren’t going quite so well. When the Seasiders won possession inside their own 22 metre area that they attempted a long miss pass to the right wing, this was not gathered and Matthew Turner the Abercynon left wing was able to gain possession and score in the corner. The try was converted by Kurtis Williams and the hosts led 10-0.

Penarth had the opportunity to gain ground once they got into the opposition half, but the ball was lost at the breakdown. Abercynon were consistently putting in some excellent tackles and gaining ground within the visitors’ half of the field. Once again the referee caught Penarth players in an offside position and the penalty was again converted by Williams to make the half time score 13-0.

As the second half opened, the Seasiders presented a much stronger approach and began to put real pressure on the Abercynon pack.This brought immediate reward,as a Scott Mackie try, converted by James Docherty, pulled the score back to 13-7. Maintaining the from the restart, Penarth moved the ball through the forwards and across field to the right wing where Kevin Maddox went over in the corner, the attempted conversion hitting the right upright.

With the score standing at a healthier-looking 13-12, Abercynon hit back.  An attacking drive by the Seasiders broke down and from their own line, the hosts moved the ball quickly out to their left wing, where an overlap allowed left wing Turner a clear run to the line, the try again converted by Williams and taking the score on to 20-12.The home side pushed on and went further ahead with a similar move on the right creating an overlap for right wing Kurtis Williams to score, convert his own try to make the score 27-12.

By now, despite to two opportunistic which had put the game beyond reach, Penarth had really hit their stride as a number of replacements took the field. They continued to batter away at the home team’s try line and a score had to come. It was replacement hooker Simon Barry who came up with the goods, Docherty again adding the extras for a final score of 27-19.

A month after the previous league match at the beginning of November, the Seasiders now have to wait until next year for the following Div 2 SEC encounter, away at Porth Harlequins on Saturday 3rd January 2015. However, they need look no further than Boxing Day for their next competitive match, as the annual game against neighbours Old Penarthians, a morning kick-off at Cwrt-y-Vil this year, is sure to be hotly contested as always.

PENARTH Rhys Morgan, James Halpin, Kevin Maddox, Tom Luck, James Crothers, Nathan Smith,
GarethMathias. Jerome Bryan, James Docherty, Sean Sullivan, Richard Howells, Mike Clare, Louis Chandler, Alex Thau, Scott Mackie [C]
Replacements Richard Merrett, Stuart Clarke, Eliott Smith, Tom Hillman and Simon Barry.

SEASIDERS SQUEEZE HOME

Gwernyfed 18 Penarth 19 – Saturday 18 October 2014

Trefecca Road is always a good place to go: lovely scenery and the Seasiders often do well there. Usually not without the drama that unfolded last Saturday.

The Green, White and Blacks haven’t exactly burst out of the traps this season and it was soon clear to see why they had only secured the one win so far this season. The fact that Penarth had turned up with two-thirds of a front row, necessitating passive scrums, knocked them back further.

The visitors were hardly at full strength, but after a close call where a grubber just beat Jamie Halpin to the dead ball line, preventing a dramatic early try, they eased into a 6-pont lead courtesy of two penalties from James Docherty.

Penarth were looking dangerous behind the scrum, but the hosts’ disruptive tactics at the breakdown were interrupting the flow of possession and it wasn’t until the 26th minute that they managed to move the score along significantly.

Alex Thau had already made a 20-metre thrust to the line from outside centre, but possession from an unopposed scrum saw the ball moved rapidly right, where Rhys Lakin feinted to go outside, but cut inside to score.

The Seasiders were well on top now and referee Andrew Timms had finally worked put what Gwernyfed were up to at the breakdown and yellow-carded lock David Roberts. The ensuing line-out was driven to the line, with Mike Clare the scorer.

For the second week running, Penarth had the game by the scruff of the neck, but nearly managed to throw it all away in a bizarre fashion. Inexplicably fumbling the ball backwards behind a passive scrum, Rhys Morgan impeded the Gwernyfed player bursting through and the Seasiders finished the half two instead of three scores ahead and one man down.

The hosts certainly came out of those traps with a vengeance in the second half and made a one-man advantage look like many more as the Seasiders struggled to keep up. It took only four minutes to reduce the arrears as outside centre Zachariah Snape went over in the corner and after a further ten minutes with Penarth firmly on the back foot, Gwernyfed drove a line-out over for a second try to bring them to within one point.

With all the damage done, Morgan returned and something like normal service was resumed. A third Docherty penalty eased the lead back up to four points, but both sides were simply trying too hard and a string of marginal errors kept the score at 15-19 until the 73rd minute when the hosts converted a penalty to reduce the arrears again to a single point and set up an exhilarating if strange finish.

Gwernyfed outside half Gareth Dodd kicked long to touch in open play the Seasiders were forced to defend a five-metre scrum. The throw was adjudged ‘not straight’, scrum with put-in to the hosts, Penarth hands in the ruck, penalty Gwernyfed. With Dodd on excellent form with the boot, the hosts surprised everyone with a kick to touch. The catch-and drive was perfectly executed, but ferocious defence by the Seasiders deflected the final thrust, the ball was grounded short and the final whistle secured four points for the visitors.

PENARTH: Keiron Carpenter, Jamie Halpin, Alex Thau, Tom Luck, James Crothers, Rhys Lakin, Rhys Morgan, Chris Grant, James Docherty, Sean O’Sullivan, Mike Clare, Stuart Clarke, Scot Mackie, Elliot Smith, Geraint Blake
Scorers. Lakin (T), Clare T, Docherty (3P).
Swalec Plate Round 2
Saturday 25th October 2014
Penallta v PENARTH
Ystrad Fawr Ground, Ystrad Mynach
Kick-off 2.30pm

SEASIDERS LOSE THEIR GRIP

Penarth 20 Pentyrch 23 – Saturday 11 October 2014

The Seasiders’ rehabilitation is still work in progress after they moved into a winning position ten minutes into the second half, only to allow the game to slip from their grasp.

Bottom club Pentyrch were a lively bunch and highly motivated, a quality which proved decisive in the end. Penarth came on in fits and starts and had dropped six points behind after 15 minutes despite dominating the tight.

James Docherty pulled back three points at the end of the first quarter and started to take the game to the ‘Tyrchs. Things were starting to get a bit niggly in the mauls and although the visitors were under pressure, they were quick to counter and took some interesting lines in midfield.

On the stroke of half time, the Seasiders gained a penalty in the Pentyrch half and Kevin Maddocks kicked to touch beyond the 22. The line-out was driven to the line, only for the ‘Tyrchs to pull the maul down. No penalty, but from the ensuing scrum, Alex Tau picked up at the tail and drove over in the corner.

Leading 8-6 at the interval, Penarth started the second half in a positive mood, only to be let down badly as Pentyrch centre Hywel Williams latched on to a horribly forward pass and sent in openside Michael Owen for the try that saw them regain the lead, 8-13.

This galvanised the Seasiders and as they regained the upper hand in the scrums, they launched a series of assaults that took the game by the scruff of the neck. A huge effort under the posts caused all sorts of consternation in the visitors’ ranks and Stuart Clarke put James Docherty through under the posts.

Having regained the lead, Penarth consolidated their position with the try of the game. A penalty was kicked to touch in the Pentyrch 22 and a clean take led straight to a three-quarter move of great beauty. The ball was shipped left and the visitors’ drift defence seemed to be in place, but James Crothers was lying deep on the left wing, so when Tom Luck heaved a long pass towards the touchline, it took the Pentyrch defence clean out of the equation as Crothers collected at speed and scurried in at the corner.

Bizarrely, from a position of total dominance, the Seasiders omitted to bother the scorers further. A certain staleness crept into their game and they were less inclined to keep the ball alive. With the lead only seven points, Pentyrch sniffed a chance and having established a platform in the home 22, number eight Nicholas Jones took advantage of a missed tackle to level the scores.

With fully twenty minutes remaining, it was the visitors who had all the momentum as the Penarth challenge disintegrated. Successive yellow cards for Jerome Bryan and Richard Merrett removed any advantage at scrum time, but the home defence held up well. So much so that when Pentrych gained a penalty well within range, they opted for the points and held on for the win.

The Seasiders out-scored the ‘Tyrchs three tries to two, but just couldn’t maintain enough pressure to take the game away from their opponents when they had the chance. Having missed an opportunity against the bottom club, the fixture list continues to be kind to Penarth, with games against this Saturday’s hosts Gwernyfed in 10th place and new bottom club Wattstown bracketing a visit to Div 1 EC Penallta in the Swalec Plate.

PENARTH: Keiran Carpenter, Louis Chandler, Tom Luck, Rhys Lakin, James Crothers, Kevin Maddox, Rhys Morgan, Jerome Bryan (Richard Merrett), James Docherty, Sean O’Sullivan, Richard Howells, Stuart Clarke, Scot Mackie, Alex Thau, Geraint Blake

Scorers. Thau (T), Docherty (T, P, C), Crothers T.

Swalec League Division 2 East Central
Saturday 18th October 2014
Gwernyfed v PENARTH
Trefecca Road, Talgarth, Powys
Kick-off 2.30pm

SEASIDERS BONUS

Penarth 34 St Josephs 28 – Saturday 13 September 2014

The Seasiders returned to the Athletic Field to face newly-promoted St Joseph’s, with both teams having secured losing bonus points the previous week. A fascinating 80 minutes ensued.

Points weren’t long in coming, as following the opening skirmishes, St Joseph’s worked the ball up to the Penarth 22 and hooker Jack Chadwick simply walked through the defensive line to score under the posts.

St Jo’s kept the pressure on, but Penarth came back quickly, gaining a penalty on half-way. This became a 5m line-out and a smart drive to the line brought a swiftly-awarded penalty try.

The visitors again came back strongly and the Seasiders’ defensive credentials were examined closely. Fortunately, over-ambition got the better ofthem as scrum-half Fred Rowlands flipped a pass out of the back of his hand, which Penarth full-back Tom Smith plucked out of the air and ran the length of the field to score.

The visitors pulled back three points at the end of a busy first quarter, but James Docherty soon restored the seven-point lead after a controversial incident consigned visiting lock Mark Harrington to the bin.

A match that was never dull was also characterised by sudden bursts of frantic activity and the next was launched by right wing Nathan Palmer, who jinked impressively through the cover on his own 22 before dummying over half-way and throwing a wild pass inside. Rhys Morgan tidied up and took it forwards again, working the ball wide to the opposite corner where Stuart Clarke put James Thatcher in to score.

At 24-10 in the lead, the Seasiders seemed to have everything under control, but things were never going to be as simple as that, as St Joseph’s hit back with two further penalties for a half-time score of 24-18.

The visitors struck again from the kick-off, mauling fully 70m before releasing to the backs. However, scrum-half Rowlands got carried away again, ignoring a three-man overlap in an attempt to score himself. However, from the ensuing scrum, number 8 Ieuan Matthews forced his way over and only a fluffed conversion kept Penarth in front at 24-23.

A promising home attack saw Thatcher clean through and he put Tom Luck away, but the big wing was caught on the 22. The visitors surged back into the attack, but referee Carl Hyde, decisive throughout, spotted a serious injury and halted the game in the home 22. A scrum restarted the game after five minutes and replacement prop Calum Wingren barged over the visitors’ fourth try, putting them into a 24-28 lead.

For the first time, Penarth looked vulnerable, but the character of this side shone through as they came back decisively. Clarke secured a line-out on the away 22 and the latest of many St Jo’s infringements yielded another penalty, which was tapped and led to a fierce contest on the line resulting in a try by replacement Geraint Blake.

With more than twenty minutes remaining and the Seasiders leading by a precarious-looking three points, St Josephs camped out in the home 22 for ages, where a combination of stout defence and giving away silly penalties nevertheless prevented a score.

As it turned out, Penarth only needed to break out once. A dodgy-looking box-kick from Morgan caused all sorts of problems for St Josephs and when play moved into the away 22 the visitors conceded a penalty which Docherty converted with seven minutes to go.

With their place-kicker having an off-day, the visitors seemed curiously tentative and put a perfectly kickable penalty to touch. However dangerous they looked, they were always going let Penarth off the hook by giving away penalties and Penarth had the luxury of playing out time in the St Josephs half, holding out for a bonus-point win. The Seasiders head up the Ely Valley next Saturday to face Pontyclun.

PENARTH: Tom Smith, Nathan Palmer, James Thatcher, Rhys Lakin, Tom Luck, James Docherty, Rhys Morgan, Jerome Bryan, Joe Page, Sean O’Sullivan, Mike Clare, Stuart Clarke, James Howells (Alex Thau), Elliot Smith, Matt Sutton (Geraint Blake).