SCRATCH SEASIDERS NEARLY STEAL IT
ABERCYNON 18 PENARTH 12 – Saturday 26 March 2016
Not so much a game of two halves as a hastily-reassembled Penarth side faced relegation-haunted Abercynon last Saturday at Y Parc. More a case of the hosts adapting to the appalling conditions rather better than the visitors for an hour and then almost losing it.
The heavy rain and wind were at the Seasiders’ backs for the first period, but the going remained firm and eminently playable. The main thing was that both sides tried to keep the ball in hand, but Abercynon eased into an 8-0 lead after 15 minutes as a rare kick ahead was fielded in the Penarth 22 and the clearance by Huw Elias was charged down for a try by the home right wing.
Although the Seasiders were to enjoy a good deal of possession, there was little chance of any real continuity as the slippery ball meant way too many handling errors. The closest either side came to a further score in the half was right at the end as the home outside-half chipped ahead and Ben Hill knocked on, the referee adjudging deliberately. However, the defence by 14-man Penarth was more than Abercynon could deal with and they turned round with the score remaining 8-0 to the hosts.
By now, the wind blowing up the valley had turned through 90 degrees and the Seasiders again found themselves playing with the wind at their backs. Not that this was any real advantage, as Abercynon piled on the pressure from a penalty kick in their own half. The Penarth defence was again well up to the task of repelling forward thrusts, but when the home scrum-half feinted to move the ball wide, he cut back in to score by the posts and the score moved on to a daunting 13-0.
The Seasiders continued to take the game to Abercynon, with Harry Roberts often leading the charge, but they simply couldn’t get on to the scoresheet as a James Docherty penalty sailed just outside the far post. Soon an Abercynon attack, led once again by their lively outside-half, brought a penalty which yielded a 5 metre line-out. Play was now hidden by the lowered shutters of one end of the stand, so Abercynon’s third try was scored out of sight.
Leading 18-0 with 20 minutes to go, the hosts were clearly coasting, but Penarth suddenly burst into life with the try of the afternoon. A messy line-out on half way was tidied up by Mike Clare and the ball moved infield to Huw Elias. The full-back hoisted it into the Abercynon half, where he beat the opposition to the ball, side-stepped and left the defence for dead down the touchline before scoring behind the posts. Docherty converted to bring the score back to 18-7.
Trailing by 11 points, Penarth were bizarrely dominating proceedings and scored a second five minutes later. A five metre scrum yielded messy possession, but Docherty scooped the ball up at full stretch to Rhys Morgan, who swiftly straightened the line before putting the replacement left wing Chad Hogan in at the corner.
The remaining eight minutes were played out with a clearly rattled home side struggling to keep the Seasiders out. This coming Saturday, Penarth play host to second-placed Llantrisant at the Athletic Field and visit third-placed Dowlais the week after. The good news is that they remain fully 19 points clear of the relegation zone.
PENARTH Huw Elias, Jacob Genty (Chad Hogan), James Crothers, Rhys Morgan, Ben Hill, James Docherty, Tom Hillman, Jerome Bryan, Mason Good, Alan Doyle, Lloyd Hutson (Mike Clare), Owain James, Harry Roberts, Scott Mackie, Louis Chandler
Scorers: Huw Elias (Try), Chad Hogan (Try), James Docherty (Conversion)
Division 2 East Central
Saturday 2nd April 2016
PENARTH v Llantrisant
The Athletic Field, Lavernock Road
Kick-off 2.30pm
