DOMINANT SEASIDERS LET IT SLIP

St.Albans 28-18 Penarth (HT 14-13)

In a strange echo of the earlier friendly at Tremorfa Park, Penarth once again looked very much the part, but still failed to come away with the spoils. In fact, the side fielded seemed to be bristling with talent, only for lapses in defence and attack to hand the win to their opponents.

To be fair, St.Albans were no mugs and played a near-perfect game against what the Seasiders were presenting them with. They scored their tries in quick bursts of action and foiled Penarth’s attempts to score by applying pressure on their own line and forcing errors.

On a miserable drizzly afternoon in steadily decreasing light levels, the game didn’t start well for either team. Penalties were awarded, kicks missed and, a taste of what was to come, there was a period of intense pressure from the Seasiders where they failed to get over the line.

However, after 16 minutes Spencer Robinson ran a St.Albans clearance back up and the hosts conceded a penalty in stopping him on their 22, which Andy Richards converted. Eight minutes later a knock-on following a James Docherty kick ahead gave Penarth a scrum. Robinson looped around from the base before finding Josh Hurley arrowing in at a perfect angle to score the first try.

Leading 10-0, the Seasiders had to put up with a high-speed burst of pressure from the ‘Buns, which produced a string of penalties, a yellow card and a try, in that order. The hosts repeated the dose almost immediately as they cut a swathe through the retreating Penarth defence, before an uncompleted tackle on the line allowed the scorer to roll over and touch down. The Seasiders recovered quickly to win another kickable penalty before half-time. A trade-mark jinking break from captain Rhys Morgan, making his 200^th appearance for the club set this up, but St.Albans had already established their credentials as a side that can score quick tries with little or no build-up.

To their credit, Penarth were willing to learn from this and a frantic opening to the second half brought two penalties, a yellow card and a try from Mason Good, in that order. Their bolt, however, was shot. A quickly tapped penalty found the Seasiders’ defence ill-prepared for St.Alban’s third try and the fourth arrived soon enough when a murderously quickly driven maul again caught the visitors’ defence unawares.

By now, the Penarth pack were making a real mess of the ‘Buns scrum and enjoying all manner of field position. All the pressure was on the hosts and although the only prize on offer was a losing bonus point, the Seasiders simply couldn’t get the ball over the line.

The postponement of next week’s league fixture at home to Penygraig means that Penarth’s league season will now restart on 8^th January away at Canton RFC.

PENARTH:

Rhys Morgan ©, George Roberts, Andy Richards, Josh Hurley (Osian Coates), Josh Powell, James Docherty, Harry Wood, Mason Good, Geraint Williams (Sean O’Sullivan), Andy Lang, Matt Allen, Mike Lang, Miles Jones, Josh Barden (Chris Mortimer)

Scorers:

Josh Hurley Try, Mason Good Try, Andy Richards 2 Penalties, Conv

SEASIDERS’ LAST-MINUTE HEARTACHE

Fairwater 38-25 Penarth (14-15)

There are always mixed feelings associated with a visit to Fairwater Park, but one thing’s nailed on – it will inevitably turn out to totally different from any other fixture (and not necessarily in a nice way).

The Seasiders took the field already short of two players from the published team, but with able deputies in Ellis Shewring and debutant Osian Coates. Bright sun and low temperatures brought a rash of handling errors and the first of thirteen penalties awarded against Fairwater. Unfortunately the first line-out which Penarth successfully won led to a handling error which the hosts’ strangely classy outside centre exploited to run all the way to the posts at the other end of the pitch.

Andy Richards struck back almost immediately from a penalty and soon added a second as Fairwater continued to dispute decisions. The other thing they could do, though, was suddenly up the pace and cause the Seasiders to engage in a mad scramble to prevent a score. After 19 minutes and a quick-fire backs move the home outside-half slipped past a despairing tackle and grounded his own grubber.

The run of play was still overwhelming in favour of Penarth and a stirring 50m break by Miles Jones led to yet another penalty, which Richards coolly slotted over to bring the score back to 14-9. Another regular feature of these games had by now established itself as Tom Luck and Tom Griffiths departed injured.

With half-time approaching, the Seasiders patiently built the phases and converted the penalties. With time up, they finally eased into the lead as Coates found Richards with long flat pass and Jim Crothers nearly made the corner before Fairwater conceded yet another penalty. Half-time score: 14-15

The second half began well for Penarth as they totally dominated successive scrums, but after more penalties brought them within 5 metres of the posts, Fairwater withdrew a prop and the remaining scrums were passive. The Seasiders had little option but to kick the penalty and stretch the lead to 14-18.

Fairwater again responded by going up a gear from the restart and claimed a third try, regaining the lead and extending to 24-18 with a rare penalty of their own. Thus encouraged, they hustled their way into the Penarth 22 and claimed the bonus point as they worked an overlap for their left wing to cross unopposed.

Facing a 13-point deficit, the Seasiders came storming back as a monumental break by Geraint Williams brought them to the try line. Penalty to Penarth, tapped and over. To all appearances the referee had awarded a penalty try, but eventually persuaded Andy Richards he had to convert the try, which was awarded to Miles Jones.

With fully 15 minutes remaining, the Seasiders threw everything into bridging the 6-point gap with a match-winning try, but to no avail as chaos ensued with Fairwater losing players to injuries, yellow cards and, eventually a red card. But they kept Penarth out and, with the last move of the game, as the visitors looked as if they were finally going to cross in the corner, forced a turnover and an 80-metre break for their fifth try, so not even a losing bonus point.

PENARTH:

Rhys Morgan ©, Osian Coates, Andy Richards, Tom Luck (Aled Reece), Jim Crothers, James Candy, Ellis Shewring, Harry Wood (Geraint Williams), Tom Griffiths (Mason Good), Alan Doyle, Andy Lang, Ben Heywood (Cam Sultana), Josh Barden, Miles Jones, Thaine Baker

Scorers: Miles Jones T, Andy Richards 6P, 1C

SEASIDERS’ CUP ERRORS

St.Alban’s 29-18 Penarth (HT 17-11)

Mid-way though the four-week hiatus between the Bowl and the new league season was ideal timing for both sides in this deeply strange Malcolm Thomas Cup fixture. The morning rain had made little difference to the excellent Tremorfa Park playing surface and running rugby was set to be the order of the day.

However, two aspects of forward play were established from the off: the Seasiders pack were to dominate the tight without gaining any advantage, while the line-out was a total disaster area.

But make no mistake, Penarth were in it to win it and never let up in their efforts. They pinned the ‘Buns in their own 22 for much of the first quarter, taking an early lead through an Andy Richards penalty and then extending that lead as Alex Shore made the key line-break for a move finished by captain Rhys Morgan in the corner.

The thing with the scrum was that despite shunting the home eight backwards on a regular basis, it was always too late to stop St.Albans getting the ball away and the hosts were to score three of their five tries from this sort of first-phase possession. The first of these arrived after 26 minutes and another four minutes later turned the game around from 0-8 to 12-8, a lead that was never again to change hands.

With half-time approaching, the Seasiders pulled three points back with another Richards penalty, but their domination of proceedings was always interrupted by the mis-firing line-out. The ‘Buns eased ahead again as a swift move on the blindside of a retreating scrum and a grubber to the corner brought the third try and a lead of 17-11 at the break.

The second half began poorly for Penarth as another first-phase move, this time from a line-out, saw the home full-back coming in at angle for the far corner and brushing off several tackles on the way. 22-11

The rest of the game arguably belonged to the Seasiders and it was only a series of critical handling errors and increasingly bizarre interventions by the referee that stopped them running away with it. Despite all the territory, possession and pressure, the only reward came on the hour as Richie Bowen forced his way over from short range. With lead reduced to only four points, a Penarth win seemed the likeliest outcome, but the error count argued against that and with four minutes remaining, St.Albans added a fifth try to put the game firmly out of the Seasiders’ reach.

PENARTH:

Rhys Morgan ©, George Kynaston, Andy Richards, Ben Wellington Jim Crothers, James Candy (Kevin Maddox), Ellis Shewring, Harry Wood (Geraint Williams), Tom Griffiths (Mason Good), Alan Doyle, Alex Shore, Ben Heywood (Cam Sultana), Josh Barden, Miles Jones, Richie Bowen

Scorers: Rhys Morgan T, Richie Bowen T, Andy Richards 2P, 1C

 TH:

Rhys Morgan ©, George Kynaston, Andy Richards, Ben Wellington Jim Crothers, James Candy (Kevin Maddox), Ellis Shewring, Harry Wood (Geraint Williams), Tom Griffiths (Mason Good), Alan Doyle, Alex Shore, Ben Heywood (Cam Sultana), Josh Barden, Miles Jones, Richie Bowen

Scorers: Rhys Morgan T, Richie Bowen T, Andy Richards 2P, 1C

SEASIDERS CUP WOES CONTINUE

Penarth 5-27 Pentrych (HT 0-20)

The Seasiders’ stumble through this season’s National Bowl competition continued last Saturday.They have soundly beaten neighbours Old Penarthians twice, but lost to everyone else in the group. The team fielded two more debutants in AJ Jones and Ben Wellington, bringing the total number of players that have featured in these four games to 46.

Proceedings began as a starting fifteen missing a number of experienced players faced a businesslike Pentyrch outfit. The real puzzle was that is such dreadful conditions, both sides rejected the option of ‘up the jumper’ ruby and went for the running game. With, it has to be said, a marked lack of success.

The visitors opened the scoring after seven minutes in what was to be a rare enough visit to the home 22 as their number eight latched on to a 5m line-out throw and crashed over. Six minutes later, they were back to convert a penalty under the posts for a 10-0 lead.

Meanwhile Penarth seemed to be marking time as Pentyrch played with directness and purpose whenever they sensed an opportunity. It was no surprise when they moved further ahead on 23 minutes as the right wing crossed in the corner and the outside-half converted from the touchline.

The Seasiders weren’t giving up, exactly, but seemed to lack any clear idea of what to do with the plentiful possession that came their way. Laboured three-quarter moves inevitably ending in handling error, turnover or aimless kick ahead. Another penalty for the visitors left Penarth twenty points adrift at half-time.

I suppose you could say that the second half was better for the hosts as the sides were limited to a try apiece, but having lost Alex Shore after twenty minutes, the already long injury list continued to grow as a nasty collision saw George Roberts stretchered off.

Despite this, Penarth were still playing most of the attacking rugby, but consistently failing to turn this into points. Harry Roberts also had to be helped from the field on the hour and when Alex Thau also went down injured it was hard to see any way back for the Seasiders.

However, the dynamic number 8 recovered after treatment and in fact there was no second half score at all until a rare Pentyrch attack after 73 minutes yielded them a soft third try. Their outside half received a short pass 15 metres out and waltzed through two horribly missed tackles to the line.

The only relief came in the final phase of the game after another period of pressure from Penarth. At last a worked move came together as Spencer Robinson popped up a short pass to the oncoming Thau and the number eight crashed through five defenders for the consolation try.

The Seasiders visit unbeaten Llanharan next Saturday in the penultimate group fixture.

PENARTH:

James Candy, George Roberts (Jim Crothers), Andy Richards, Ben Wellington, Rhys Morgan ©, Spencer Robinson, A J Jones, Tom Griffiths (Mason Good), Alan Doyle, Ben Heywood, Cam Sultana, Alex Shore (Nathan Frost), Harry Roberts (Ellis Shewring).

Scorer: Alex Thau, Try

Penarth Shine Under Lights

Penarth 60-10 Old Penarthians (HT 20-10)

After three consecutive defeats this local derby was an absolute must win for Penarth but the performance they gave putting local rivals the Old Pens to the sword was above expectations. In front of a big local crowd the Seasiders recorded 10 tries with an excellent display of running rugby which will give them a huge boost in the remaining 3 matches of this WRU Bowl Round Robin phase of the season.

With the Old Pens having a few old heads back from the team that lost 48-7 at Cwrt y Vil back in August and Penarth racking up an impressive injury list it was expected to be a tight affair. However, from the off Penarth asserted their dominance in the set piece and in the loose and were soon ahead on the scoreboard with Tom Griffiths going over from the back of a rolling maul.

The Old Pens pulled 3 points back from the boot of Steffan Crimp but soon found themselves 15-3 down as first Miles Jones and then Griffiths, again, crossed the whitewash. The Old Pens were struggling to cope with Penarth’s high tempo hard running game which was being brilliantly orchestrated by skipper Rhys Morgan at fly half.

The Old Pens did manage a try of their own from a predictable source as the ever dangerous Chris Poole came in off his wing to slice through the Penarth defence and go under the posts to make it 15-10, and despite Penarth’s dominance it looked like it may yet be a tight match.

But that was as good as it got for the visitors as Penarth started to motor through the gears. Jones got his second try after a delightful piece of handling from second row Ben Haywood put him clear on the right wing just before half time and in the second half Penarth really opened up.

First Spencer Robinson made a trademark snipe to stroll in under the posts before Griffiths completed his hat-trick, both converted by the returning James Candy who had a good game at full back. Harry Wood then turned on the style as he took the ball flat on the gainline and let loose an outrageous side step that saw him scythe through the hapless Old Pens defence and over the try line for Penarth’s 7^th try.

Next in on the act was second row Alex Shore, who had carried relentlessly all game, and then Ryan Jones peeled off the back of another dominant rolling maul to bounce his way through a few tired tacklers and over the line. Proceedings were wrapped up by that man Robinson who glided through for his second and Penarth’s 10^th with Candy adding three more conversions.

There is no doubt that this will be a huge confidence boost to the Seasiders, however they will be aware that for all the heart, grit and determination shown by the Old Pens the challenge that awaits them in the remainder of the Bowl competition and in the League season to follow, starting in November, will be a significant jump up in quality.

On Saturday the Athletic XV travelled to Llandaff in EDRU Division 1 and came away with a resounding victory by 38-7. Tries from Aled Rees (2), Xavier Cranwell, Nik Haymes, Aurther Mills and Ellis Shewring who also added 4 conversions, saw Penarth cruise to a comfortable but well earned victory.

This weekend sees the Athletic host Canton at the Athletic Field whilst the 1^st XV have a rest week.

PENARTH: James Candy, George Kynaston, George Roberts, Danny Davison (Ellis Shewring), James Crothers, Rhys Morgan (Aled Rees), Spencer Robinson, Harry Wood, Tom Griffiths (Liam Richards), Alan Doyle (Ryan Jones), Alex Shore, Ben Heywood, Josh Barden (Josh Spragg) Harry Roberts, Miles Jones.