SEASIDERS SURGE INTO CUP SEMI-FINAL

Abertillery 17-52 PENARTH (HT 10-21)
Neither club really knew what to expect from this Division 2 Cup Quarter-Final, although
existing cup-holders Abertillery BG probably felt the tie was theirs to lose for all of ten
minutes. Ben Jones kicked Penarth in front with a 6 th -minute penalty, but his team were
already on top and the first try wasn’t long in coming. The Seasiders’ pressure forced The
Green and Whites to minor. Ben Jones then caught the drop-out, sending Harry Williams
haring off to the corner. The winger was tackled short of the line, but Spencer Robinson
was on hand to follow up for the try.
‘Tillery looked to force their way back into the game, but their approach was based on
physicality, which was to prove ineffective in the face of their well-drilled opponents’ tactics.
The second try came from a turnover to relieve pressure, but as Mike Lang looked to launch
an attack, he forced his way through a gap and outpaced the defence. Tom Griffiths was in
support and claimed the try for a 15-0 lead.
Against the run of play, the hosts came back powerfully as their inside centre came up with a
solo effort, blasting his way through three tackles to the line. A penalty conversion five
minutes later ended the Green and Whites’ sole period of dominance.
Penarth eased further ahead with penalties from Ben Jones and a 50-metre Josh Hurley
special and half-time was reached with the score standing at 10-21.
‘Tillery finally secured their second and final try seven minutes into the second half, but by
then the Seasiders had already stretched their lead from a Joe Williams tapped penalty and
a Rhys Beynon angled run to the line.
Penarth were now unstoppable and still full of ideas. From another turnover on half-way,
they worked the ball out to Hurley on the left-hand touchline. An exchange of passes with
Harry Wiliams left Ryan Hall with the responsibility of finishing the move and the number 8
forced his way over for the third try.
The hosts’ physicality was still in play as they dominated second-half proceedings in the
tight, but Penarth simply kept on scoring tries. A break-out from their own half was halted by
a high tackle on Harry Williams, only for the same thing to happen minutes later. The second
penalty yielded a line-out in the home 22 and the third drive to the line brought Robinson’s
second try.
With 15 minutes remaining and the score at 17-42 the game over as a contest, both sides
emptied their benches and stagnation set in. The Seasiders naturally continued to seek
further scores and Abertillery BG drove themselves to exhaustion trying to stem the flow.
A tip-tackle on Rhys Beynon reduced the hosts to 14 as the game entered the final ten
minutes and Hurley coolly slotted over the penalty from 48 metres. There was a lengthy
delay as an injured Cam Nation received attention and after the restart, the final attack from
the Green and Whites was snubbed out spectacularly as Cam Sultana intercepted and ran
the length of the field for the sixth try.

The Division 2 Cup semi-final will be at a neutral venue against old friends Llanharan on 23rd
March.

PENARTH: Josh Hurley, George Roberts (James Candy), Andy Richards, Rhys Beynon
(Osian Coates), Harry Williams (Joe Williams), Ben Jones, Spencer Robinson, Geraint
Williams (Harry Wood), Tom Griffiths (Mason Good), Ryan Jones (Sam Sully), Cam Sultana,
Dominic Owen (Cam Nation), Mike Lang (Max Woodman), Ryan Hall, Miles Jones ©

Scorers: Tom Griffiths (try), Spencer Robinson (2 tries), Rhys Beynon (try), Cam
Sultana (try), Ryan Hall (try), Ben Jones (conversion, penalty), Josh Hurley (2
penalties).