SEASIDERS HIT COCKERELS FOR SIX

PENARTH 38-15 Croesyceiliog (HT 19-3)
Taking a week off from a stunning start to their Division Two campaign and with several
regulars rested or unavailable, Penarth were competing in the Division 2 cup, facing
unfamiliar opposition in the form of Div 2 East Croesyceiliog.
The home squad had an experimental look to it, with one debutant and two returnees
mingling with occasionals and more familiar faces. The way they performed together was a
revelation.
The Cockerels are similarly placed in their own division, so a close contest might have been
expected. As it turned out, this was far from the case, as the Seasiders dominated
throughout and ran in six tries.
After a cautious start by both sides, returning No.8 Alex Thau crashed spectacularly back on
to the scene with the first try from a 5-metre scrum, with captain Andy Richards adding the
extras.
Croesy drove up from the restart and a Penarth offside allowed them to peg the score back
by three. Penarth were still pretty much in control and only their own errors were keeping the
score on 7-3. Until the 28 th minute, when the hosts worked it wide from a 22m line-out, only
for Richards to be taken out. Penalty tapped, long, long pass out to Ben Wellington on the
far touchline for the score.
The winger was also on the end of the final move of the half as another monster break from
Thau touch took the Seasiders up to the try-line. Matt Frost came close to scoring as he
followed up, but the visitors were panicking by now and cleared short to touch. Directly from
the line-out the ball was worked rapidly along the line and the scoring pass held until
Wellington was able to squeeze in again at the corner. Half-time:19-3.
The opening phases of the second half were frustrating for Penarth as the Cockerels went
one better than withstanding pressure and pulled a try back, but this relief didn’t last long.
Yet again it was Man-of-the-Match Thau making a huge 50m break before setting Josh
Powell running down the tramlines. The winger was hauled up a mere metre short of the
line, but returnee Jerome Bryan was on hand to complete the score.
The last quarter belonged to Penarth despite a second consolation try for Croesy. Tom
Hillman fooled everyone as he scooted down the narrow side of a ruck to score in the
corner, while Harry Williams completed the scoring with seven minutes to go from a near-
perfect scrum as he sliced clean through the defence.
Coach Matt Bolton declared himself happy that he was able to give some players from the
wider squad a game (including debutant Max Woodman, who looked completely at home
and delighted that the whole team fronted up and put in a great shift. This shows we are
starting to build some real depth in the squad and that there will be some tough decisions to
make when everyone is available.
Back to the league next Saturday and yet another top-of-the-table clash as the Seasiders
return to the Broad Shoad after five years to take on fourth-placed Cowbridge.

PENARTH: Matt Frost, Ben Wellington, Harry Williams, Andy Richards, Josh Powell (James
Crothers), Rhys Morgan, Tom Hillman (Owain George), Geraint Williams (Jerome Bryan),
Harry Wood, Ryan Jones (Sam Sully), Max Woodman (Rob Rees), Dom Owen, Cam
Sultana, Alex Thau, Dan Cahalane.
Scorers: Ben Wellington (2 tries), Alex Thau (try), Jerome Bryan (try), Tom Hillman

(try), Harry Williams (try) Andy Richards (4 conversions).