A TEAM FOR ALL SEASONS

Penarth  45-5 Tylorstown (HT 12-5)

On a wet and windy afternoon at the Athletic Field, Penarth successfully navigated a tricky fixture in difficult conditions against Tylorstown. More to the point, in again scoring as many as seven tries, they confirmed their superiority in all weathers. They now lead the division by six points and are easing away from even their nearest rivals.

Still plenty of work to do, as the season is some way short of the half-way mark.

A classic game of two halves it was. The Tigers had the south-westerly wind at their backs for forty minutes and looked good value for all their possession. The first ten minutes passed with the Seasiders under siege and unable to gain any possession at all. It came as a surprise to the visitors, then, when the hosts took the lead. After Tylorstown had crossed, but knocked on over the line, a loose pass was hacked on by James Docherty and following a display of soccer skills, put a grubber through for Harry Williams to claim the try.

The Tigers continued to hog possession as their lively back division benefitted from their pack’s dominance in all parts of the forward game. That this didn’t seem to worry Penarth shows what confidence in your own abilities gives you. Sure enough, as the home forwards struggled in a scrum on the visitors’ 10m line, Mike Lang dug the ball out at the back, went round the blindside with Spencer Robinson in support and the scrum-half sprinted away from the cover to score behind the posts.

The visitors finally got some reward for all their wind-assisted efforts in the last move of the half as their right wing scored in the corner.

As the teams turned around at half-time and the Seasiders got their share of the wind, it was no longer a matter of living off scraps. Now Docherty was allowed to send kicks 60 metres down-range, while Tylorstown’s clearances barely made 10. Penarth notched up the remaining 33 points with some ease.

After 42 minutes, Cam Sultana made a clean catch from a line-out and once the maul was formed, surged away along the tramlines to score. The bonus point arrived minutes later as the pack went thought several phases on the Tigers’ line before Man-of-the-Match Tom Griffiths crossed for his seventh league try of the season.

Mason Good looked as if he had capped his return with a try after a charge-down, but the referee decided it was a knock-on, but this only delayed the next score by minutes as Robinson claimed his second to make it 31-5.

With the points in the bag, the management emptied the bench. Although the rain had eased by this point, it was still heavy going and as Penarth kept up the pressure, leading scorer George Roberts was putting his all into getting on to the scoresheet without reward. His best effort at least created a chance for replacement outside-half Ben Jones to score and he duly obliged.

With the score now standing at 38-5 and nothing much left to play for, the pace eased off a little and the last move involved a foot race between Robinson and Williams for the final try, which the centre narrowly won for his second of the afternoon.

Weather permitting, Penarth will have another home game next Saturday. Fourth-placed Llanharan, the only team to register a league victory against the Seasiders (20-15 at the Dairy Field in September) are the visitors.

© Peter Weston 08-Jan-23

PENARTH:

Josh Hurley, George Roberts, Harry Williams, Rhys Beynon, Josh Powell (Ben Wellington), James Docherty (Ben Jones), Spencer Robinson, Harry Wood, Bradman Williams (Mason Good), Sam Sully (Ryan Jones), Cam Sultana, Matt Allen, Tom Griffiths, Miles Jones ©, Mike Lang (Connor Mitchell).

Scorers: Harry Williams (2 tries), Spencer Robinson (2 tries), Cam Sultana (try), Ben Jones (try), Tom Griffiths (try), Josh Hurley (5 conversions).

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).

SEASIDERS SCORE SIXTH STRAIGHT SUCCESS

Tylorstown 22-35 Penarth (HT 17-16)

On paper this should have been a testing encounter for Penarth playing away against long time rivals Tylorstown, but as they say rugby is not played on paper. With the Penarth side showing no less than 9 changes to the team that defeated Fairwater and playing in a cup competition where they could not qualify for the next round and their hosts were in pole position to progress the Seasiders showed that winning is a habit, and its one that the whole squad has got.

Penarth started brightly and from the off it was clear that Tylorstown were going to struggle to contain the free running Seasiders. Quick clean ball from the forwards gave the backline the time and space to make yards through the wide channels and within 10 minutes Penarth had a 6 point lead thanks to the boot of James Docherty.

The home side got their noses in front after turning over the ball deep in Penarth territory and executing a cross field kick which took a nasty bounce to evade Ben Wellington on the Penarth wing and fall nicely to the on rushing home full back who crossed the whitewash.

Penarth’s reaction was quick and clinical. The lineout, which has been the source of some woe in recent weeks, was firing on all cylinders with Bradman Willams providing the perfect throws for Cam Sultana, back from his latest international break with Malta, and Mike Lang to pluck from the air and give clean ball to Spencer Robinson to get the back line on the front foot. From one of these it was a short burst from Docherty which broke the home defence and when he was hauled down 5m out Robinson was on hand to lift the ball to Rhys Beynon who came on a neat angle to get Penarth’s first try.

A third Docherty penalty stretched the lead before a scrum against the head gave Tylorstown some unexpected ball from which the home outside half managed to execute a 50:22 kick. The home winger reacted first to take a quick lineout and having been caught short Penarth found themselves 17-16 down at half time in a match they had dominated.

However, within 20 minutes of kick off in the second half the match was over as Penarth rattled off three unanswered tries. The first came from a 5m scrum as livewire scrumhalf Robinson burst off the back and it was that man Beynon again who cut the line to cross without a finger being laid on him. Next it was the turn of Harry Williams who finished from 50m out after captain Miles Jones made a big carry inside his own half and Robinson and Beynon had combined again to get behind the home defence. And finally it was Robinson who got himself on the score sheet after linking first with Jimmy Crothers and then Harry Williams before selling a fine dummy to the fullback before going in under the sticks.

To their credit Tylorstown did not give up and had the better of the last 15 minutes but they found a Penarth defence that was not willing to concede easily. Indeed, Tylorstown’s only points of the second half came from a slight glitch in the Penarth defensive system which allowed the home team to sneak over in the corner, for a try which ultimately sees them progress into the next phase of the cup at the expense of Abertywsswg.

Whilst exiting the cup at this early stage is a disappointment to Penarth the opportunity to test the whole squad has provided confirmation that this is a squad with sufficient depth to really challenge for one of the three promotion spots on offer this season, if not for the title itself. The experienced heads of Docherty, Crothers and Rhys Morgan along with the younger contingent of George Kynaston, Sam Davies and Rhys Newman who made an impressive impact in the front row will all play their part over the course of the season in backing up the established starting XV. The forward pack is now finding its feet and the backline must be the most potent in the division which is all boding well. The next test will come at Pontyclun a week on Saturday where Penarth will have the opportunity to tighten their grip at the top of the table in what will be their only outing in November due to the Autumn International Series.

Penarth: Harry Wood (Rhys Newman), Bradman Williams, Ryan Jones (Geraint Williams), Cam Sultana, Andy Lang, Mike Lang, Sam Davies (Tom Griffiths), Miles Jones (C), Spencer Robinson, James Docherty, Ben Wellington (James Crothers), Rhys Beynon, Harry Williams, George Kynaston (Owen Rees), Rhys Morgan.

Scorers: R Beynon (2T), H Williams (T), S Robinson (T), J Docherty (3P/3C)

SEASIDERS LOSE THE PLOT, BUT STILL WIN THE TIE

Penarth 22-20 Rhymney (HT – 14-10)

Fair enough, some players were rested, it was a bit breezy and Rhymney were a lively bunch, but why was this dreadful game of rugby such a worrying echo of last week’s forgettable second half? Of course, the common factor was the Seasiders and we know they struggle to adapt to stop-start games with lengthy delays, but why (apart from two of their three tries being interceptions) did Rhymney come so close to winning?

Penarth started well enough, playing into a stiff breeze from the Lavernock Road end. The wind had kept them pinned inside their own 22 for 5 minutes before Rhys Beynon crashed one up the middle. From the breakdown, James Docherty slung a wide miss pass out to Harry Roberts, who fed George Roberts on the 22 for a sharp finish.

However, cue interception No.1. Another great build-up by the Seasiders and just the one sloppy pass on the 22 allowed outside centre Liam (Chopper) Davies to pluck the ball out of the air and sprint 80m to score under the posts. 7-all.

Penarth maintained the pressure as a 20-metre maul to the line ended up with Tom Griffiths being held up. In the meantime, Rhymney managed to gain enough field position to convert a 25m penalty for a 7-10 lead. But Penarth soon nosed ahead once more as Man of the Match Rhys Beynon again made the break-through, this time down the right touchline, with George Roberts rounding the last defender for his second try.

Leading 14-10 at half-time and with the wind now at their backs, the Seasiders must have been looking forward to an avalanche of points in the second half, but this simply didn’t happen. Instead Penarth preferred to keep the ball in hand and generally rush things. This led to frustration, which brought errors, such as a failure to react quickly enough to a rare attack by the Brewers on 65 minutes featuring Liam (Chopper) Davies, who scored out wide for a 14-15 lead.

Chaos ensued as various cards were awarded, including one for Liam (Chopper) Davies. Josh Hurley converted the penalty from that one to reclaim the lead at 17-15. Cue interception No.2, as Liam Jones gleefully grounded in the corner, believing he’d won the match.

Just enough time left for the Seasiders to work their way in to the Rhymney 22 and a line-out. This was their final chance to avoid defeat and a worked move was clearly on. Sam Davies took a clean catch and Spencer Robinson found Hurley coming in at an angle and arrowing towards the far corner flag. The unconverted try was enough and Penarth somehow emerged as 22-20 winners.

Next Saturday, it’s back to Division Three East Central action as old favourites Fairwater are the visitors to the Athletic Field

PENARTH:

Josh Hurley, George Roberts (Leon Appiah), Andy Richards, Rhys Beynon, James Crothers, James Docherty, Rhys Morgan (Spencer Robinson), Geraint Williams (Harry Wood), Tom Griffiths, Ryan Jones (Bradman Williams) Matt Allen, Andy Lang, Josh Spragg (Sam Davies), Miles Jones, Harry Roberts.

Scorers: G.Roberts (2 tries), Hurley (try, 1 penalty, 2 conversions),

SEASIDERS FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS

Penarth 59-0 Old Illtydians (HT 26-0)

Another weekend, another total demolition job from Penarth RFC as they crushed the Old Illtydians by 9 tries to build on the momentum started at Cardiff Quins. In reality the result was no surprise, the Illts have struggled in each of the last 3 seasons, but the manner of the performance was yet more confirmation that this is a side that is coming together well and could make a real impact this year.

Following a minutes applause for Stewart Humphreys, who sadly passed away a few weeks ago, the tone of the match was set from the off as Penarth took under 5 minutes to methodically work their way up the pitch into the teeth of strong breeze and exploit an overlap on the narrow side courtesy of some beautiful handling from prop Bradman Williams who put George Roberts over in the corner.

The big crowd didn’t have to wait too long for more of the same as two more tries came in quick succession as first captain Miles Jones and then full back Josh Hurley were the beneficiaries of some lovely handling, and some elusive Illts defending, as Penarth raced into a 21-0 lead, with Hurley adding all the extras.

The Illts dug in and used the howling wind at their backs to establish some field position but in truth they never really threatened the Penarth line. They did manage to hold the Penarth attack at bay for a good 15 minutes before getting trapped in their own 22 and finding their scrum retreating at a rate of knots as Penarth turned the ball over and Mike Lang was on hand to pick and go from the base of the ruck to secure the bonus point try in under half an hour.

Any relief that the visitors may have felt at reaching half time without conceding another point soon dissipated when they realised that their only means of escape in the first half had been stripped from them as they turned to face the wind for the remaining 40 minutes. The spectators at the Lavernock Road end would have been justified in feeling hard done by as the ball rarely ventured into that half of the pitch in the second half.

Joe Williams was first to cross the whitewash for Penarth in the second half as he eased through a gap forged through a series of forward power plays that left the Illts short of defenders. Tom Griffiths added a 6^th try with a barnstorming run shrugging off three defenders before powering through and going under the sticks.

Penarth’s 7^th try may prove one the mostly costly of the season as powerhouse second row Owen Lloyd barrelled his way over from short range only to break his ankle in the act of scoring. The size, dynamism and handling he showed both in this game and last weeks victory at Cardiff Quins showed what an enormous asset he was to Penarth, and why he was on the fringes of the Cardiff RFC premiership side. Everyone at the club wishes Owen a very speedy recovery.

Proceedings were settled with further tries coming from Josh Powell, after a great break down the left flank from Harry Williams, and Miles Jones who stormed off the back of yet another dominant Penarth scrum in the 80^th minute which Hurley converted to round off a personal 17 point haul.

The result sees Penarth into 4^th position behind early undefeated leaders St Albans and Pentyrch. Whilst the last two weeks performances and results have been hugely enjoyable there is no doubt that the real tests of Penarth’s title credentials come in the next three games as they face table toppers St Albans away next weekend followed by Fairwater (H) and Pontyclun (A) sandwiched around two more Division 3 Cup games. There is no doubting Penarth’s ability and know they just have to show that they can mix it with the top end of table as well as they can ruthlessly dismantle those at the bottom.

The Club would like to express its thanks to Match Day Sponsor – FINE WINES DIRECT of Penarth Road www.finewinesdirectuk.com and post-match beer sponsors DCW Group.

Penarth: Bradman Williams, Tom Griffiths (Ben Jackson), Ryan Jones (Sam Sully), Owen Lloyd (Dan Cahalane), Cam Sultana, Mike Lang, Harry Roberts, Miles Jones (C), Spencer Robinson, Joe Williams, Ben Wellington (George Kynaston), Rhys Beynon, Harry Williams, George Roberts (Josh Powell), Josh Hurley

Scorers: G Roberts (T), M Jones (2T), J Williams (T), T Griffiths (T), M Lang (T), O Lloyd (T), J Powell (T), J Hurley (T,6C)