SEASIDERS TRIUMPH IN DERBY RETURN

Penarth 41-17 Old Penarthians (HT 22-17)

I would have liked to report that “Penarthdefeated Old Pens in a fast and open game”, but that wouldn’t be strictly accurate or fair to either side in this essentially good-natured friendly. Good to see the fixture back after a lengthy hiatus, but slippery conditions conspired against the finer arts and the Seasiders’ dominance was largely due to the club’s ability to field the stronger squad.

However, in a scrappy first half, the Old Pens were arguably having the better of things and working towards field position from where they stacked up three tries to pull level at 17-17.

The Penarth squad was an exhilarating combination of Athletic, Youth and returning exiles, plus a critical injection of first-team regulars, especially in the second half.

The first half was evenly contested. The Seasiders opened the scoring after 5 minutes, as Owen Rees put through a grubber for his backs to chase, a contest that was won, hands down, by prop Sam Sully. Old Pens struck back eight minutes later as they patiently worked an overlap on the right for the equalising score.

Penarth then opened up a twelve point lead with two quick scores, each involving a line-break and an irresistible acceleration to the line. First it was the returning Nathan Frost restoring the lead, then Evan Jones showing a blistering turn of pace to push that lead out to 17-5. Only for the Old Pens to pull it all back with two tries in the last 10 minutes of the half.

However, the Seasiders clearly had no intention of allowing this sort of thing to continue and the final move before half-time involved a massive break from the Old Pens’ 10m line by George Kynaston. The full-back was finally caught in the 22, but Frost was on hand to complete the score.

The sides turned around with the Seasiders leading 22-17 and, as several first-teamers were brought on, the Old Pens serious interest in getting anything out of the game largely disappeared.

The visitors continued to throw everything into it, but increasingly heavy rain made handling difficult and scoring chances for both sides went begging. In the end, there were so many more opportunities for Penarth that there was little doubt how it was all going to finish.

A Josh Powell break after 54 minutes was interrupted as he was tackled on the try-line, but Owen Rees was on hand to skip around the remaining defenders for his side’s fifth try. Frost was again added to the scoresheet as he completed his hat-trick on the hour and Powell himselfsecured the seventh of the afternoon with a trademark powerful run.

© Peter Weston 26-Dec-22

Scorers:, Sam Sully (try), Nathan Frost (3 tries), Evan Jones (try), Owen Rees (try), Josh Powell (try), James Docherty (3 conversions).