SEASIDERS SHAKE OFF THE RUST (AND PENTYRCH)

PENTYRCH 14-64 PENARTH (HT – 0-24)

Fully three weeks after the last league outing here was another testing away match for Penarth. Fielding a strong matchday squad there was an expectation that 5th placed Pentyrch would fancy a closely-fought game as usual. This time, the final scoreline gives you every idea of how superior the Seasiders were last Saturday.

The opening twelve minutes hinted at a difficult afternoon for the hosts. Spencer Robinson and Ryan Hall ran in early tries, but the rest of the first half was curiously barren for Penarth as Pentyrch fought back. However, they failed to trouble the scorers, so a Ben Jones penalty and a scintillating solo try from the outside-half left the score at 0-24 after 40 minutes.

Worse was to come for Pentyrch in the second half as with Penarth having already established total control in the tight, with Man-of-the-Match Harry Wood to the fore, the bonus try arrived almost straight from the kick-off. Harry Roberts picked up from a turnover and fed Harry Williams for a dash to the line, he was pulled down just short, but Alex Thau was on hand to complete the score. Four minutes later Robinson tapped a penalty on half-way and headed for the left-hand touchline. Here he found Williams in support and tracked him for 40 metres ready to receive the scoring inside pass.

Classy stuff from Penarth, as the substantial travelling support revelled in the scoring spree they were being treated to, but with the score on 0-38, they somehow allowed Pentyrch to build enough momentum from a tapped penalty and loose-head Ethan Williams scurried around to score.

Two more tries arrived in the next ten minutes. The first came from another tapped penalty as Robinson found Rhys Beynon with a pin-point pass, leaving him only a couple of defenders to force his way past to the line. Robinson was again the source as he fielded a long kick up-field on halfway, left the cover for dead and then, straightening the line, found Tom Hillman on the left wing to run it down to the corner.

Seven tries to the good and leading 52-7, the Seasiders emptied the bench and neatly steadied a scrum in the home 22. Acres of space had opened up to the left, allowing Williams to come across smartly and score in the corner.

The last two minutes brought yet more tries. Firstly Dom Owen forced a turnover and Robinson made ground before exchanging passes with the supporting Beynon and touching down for his hat-trick. Almost as an afterthought, Pentyrch secured a penalty in the Penarth 22 and tight-head Gwilym Rees drove over.

After next Saturday’s cup-tie against Clydach-based Vardre RFC in the Swansea Valley, the Seasiders can look forward to an appetising run of five games against clubs in the lower half of the table, starting with the visit of Taffs Well a week on Saturday. This latest 9-try haul means they’re averaging over six tries per game following promotion and are going well, to say the least.

PENARTH: Josh Hurley (Tom Hillman), George Roberts, Andy Richards, Rhys Beynon, Harry Williams, Ben Jones, Spencer Robinson, Harry Wood, Tom Griffiths, Ryan Jones (Sam Sully), Cam Sultana, Dom Owen, Harry Roberts, Ryan Hall (Mike Lang), Alex Thau (Mason Good)

Scorers:           Spencer Robinson (3 tries), Ryan Hall (try), Ben Jones (try, penalty, 6 conversions), Alex Thau (try), Rhys Beynon (try), Tom Hillman (try), Harry Williams (try), Josh Hurley (2 conversions).