SEASIDERS FINALLY CUT LOOSE – Saturday 25 March 2017
PONTYCLUN 13 PENARTH 34
After recent near-misses against top-of-the table opposition, the Seasiders were looking for someone they could run up a few tries against and it turned out to be old favourites Pontyclun. Having eased past their Ely Valley rivals 18-12 at the earlier home fixture and with the hosts lurking only four points behind, there was plenty to play for.
The writing was on the wall for Pontyclun from the first scrum in the second minute. Their back row came unstuck and James Docherty converted the penalty from 42m. The home team deployed their usual game-plan from the restart and gained immediate reward as they drove at a retreating Penarth defence, gaining a penalty in the corner from which Nicky Theaker kicked the equalising points.
The Seasiders continued to dominate in the tight while the Badgers struggled with their throwing-in, but it was nevertheless the lively hosts who surged into the lead seven minutes later. Having dug the ball out of a retreating scrum, two poor tackles allowed centre Joe Williams through the middle and scrum half Rhys Morgan went over under the posts.
Penarth came back strongly and drew level at the end of the first quarter. A catch-and-drive in the Pontyclun 22 was halted by a knock-on, but the visitors’ scrum was irresistible as they shunted the hosts back over their own line for an Elliott Smith try. No additional score in the second quarter, so the sides turned round all square at 10-10.
Despite being rather obviously the better side, the Seasiders struggled to hold their game together at the start of the second half and it was the Badgers who again edged back in front with a penalty in the 46th minute. Luckily this was as good as it got for them and the rest of the game belonged to Penarth.
The backs were starting to put some moves together, but the next score came as a drive from a scrum was halted with flanker Harry Roberts picking up and crossing on the corner. The Seasiders scored again straight from the restart. Roberts drove the drop-out back upfield and, several phases later, finished the move himself with a well-sold dummy.
The next restart didn’t turn out any better for the Badgers, as the Seasiders’ back division put together a wonderfully slick handling move and Rhys Morgan ran around behind the posts for the bonus point. Not content with this, the backs embarked on yet another flowing move and Nathan Palmer touched down in the corner only for the referee to disallow the score. Unfortunately for Pontyclun, this merely gave them the put-in to a 5m scrum and the Penarth pack simply walked all over them for Elliott Smith’s second try.
Having made themselves comfortable in seventh place, the Seasiders return to the Athletic Field next Saturday, where the visitors will be Clwb Rygbi Cymry Caerdydd. Clwb are having a torrid time in the league this season and still have the threat of relegation hanging over them. A close game at Llandaff Fields back at the end of November was settled 25-24 in Penarth’s favour by a late Aaron Ellis try.
PENARTH James Candy, James Docherty, Tom Luck © (Tom Hillman), Chris Mortimer (James Thatcher), James Crothers (Nathan Palmer), Mitch Hickey, Rhys Morgan, Sean O’Sullivan, Mason Good, Alan Doyle, Aaron Ellis, Matt Allan, Scott Mackie, Elliott Smith, Harry Roberts
Scorers: Elliott Smith (2 tries), Harry Roberts (2 tries), Rhys Morgan (try)
James Docherty (penalty, 3 conversions)
Division 2 East Central
Saturday 1st April 2017
PENARTH v Clwb Rygbi Cymry Caerdydd
The Athletic Field, Lavernock Road
Kick-off 2.30pm
