SEASIDERS BREAK ROCKS
St PETERS 24 PENARTH 38 – Saturday 4 November 2017
Having completed a double over the same opponents last season, the Penarth would have been disappointed to have found themselves nineteen points adrift early in the second half, but what they did next was a bit of a jaw-dropper.
Although the Seasiders’ slow start into a stiff breeze and facing low sun allowed St.Peters an early lead as their right wing scored in the corner, the match settled into a more even contest and the next score didn’t arrive until the half-hour mark.
As Penarth ran back a long clearance, some slick handling along the left touchline saw Rhys Beynon break clear to score in the corner, but the Rocks’ immediate response saw them sitting pretty at half-time. A cross-field break by their right wing was stifled by Beynon, but the pass was got away to the outside centre who completed the score. Then on the stroke of half-time, a superb pass put the St Peters hooker clear and although Ritchie Bowen got the tackle in, the supporting winger crossed for the third try and a 17-5 lead.
The lead stretched to nineteen points as a ferocious start to the second half yielded the bonus point try for the hosts.
Instead of simply accepting defeat, the Seasiders’ response was astounding, as they scored 33 unanswered points in as many minutes. They surged back and laid siege in the home 22 before James Docherty span the ball wide to Tom Luck who scored in the corner. A thrilling break by Nick Davenport nearly resulted in a Ritchie Bowen try, but Bowen was not to be denied minutes later as he ripped a ball in the tackle and sprinted 50 metres to score.
Penarth sent the replacements on with the score at 24-17, but the tide had already turned and the equalising score arrived on 65 minutes when Docherty threw another long pass out to Luck for the fourth try and then converted from the touchline.
With the scores level at 24-24, there was only one team in it, as the Seasiders swarmed all over the dispirited Rocks. Replacement scrum-half Owain Lord launched a slick move carried on by Owen Thomas before releasing James Crothers to score behind the posts and then on the stroke of full-time Beynon made a line-break in midfield, slid past two tackles before getting a pass away to Ben Hill, who scored his side’s sixth try of the afternoon in the corner.
The Seasiders have now risen to tenth in the table and face fourth-placed Llanishen in an early kick-off (1.00 pm) at the Athletic Field this coming Saturday. Another date for the diary: Mallett Cup tie at the Athletic Field: Penarth v St.Peters, Thursday 23rd November, kick-off 7.15pm.
PENARTH Tom Smith, Ben Hill, Rhys Beynon, Tom Luck [C], James Crothers, James Docherty (Morgan Smith), Rhys Morgan (Owain Lord), Sean O’Sullivan, Mason Good, Alan Doyle, Owen Thomas, Alex Thau, Scott Mackie, Nick Davenport (Harrison Pugsley) Ritchie Bowen
Scorers: Tom Luck (2 Tries), Rich Bowen (Try), Rhys Beynon (Try), James Crothers (Try), Ben Hill (Try), James Docherty (4 Conversions).
Division 2 East Central
Saturday 11th November 2017
PENARTH v Llanishen
The Athletic Field, Lavernock Road
Kick-off 1.00pm
