Fixture

Last Saturday Old Penarthians travelled to Treherbert for their third fixture in WRU League Division 3 South East Central (B).  Coincidentally it was a return fixture from the week before when Penarthians had defeated Treherbert at home in the WRU Bowl competition.

Spirits were therefore high during the weekly coaching sessions but there was disappointment on the morning of the game with the late withdrawals of Callum Wingren and James Roach.  Nevertheless, the starting line-up was largely unchanged from the week before.

The game was played in constant rain, but the pitch was in excellent condition and both sets of players attempted to move the ball whenever possible.  The conditions did however dictate that the forwards would most likely be doing the bulk of the work.

The ball was hard to hold and that led to handling errors by both sides and there were many penalty decisions that saw the ball kicked to touch for lineouts.  It was therefore unfortunate that the Old Pens scrum and line out did not function effectively throughout the first half.

Penarthians did however score the first points after 10 minutes through the boot of Jon Crimp after an instinctive piece of play by Tomos Hillman who took a quick tap penalty to himself, kicked ahead and tackled the defending fullback on his tryline.  Another Treherbert player committed an offence and a penalty was awarded.

Soon after a three-quarter move saw Rhys Lakin pass to Chris Poole who was tackled around his ankles when a clear run to the tryline was possible.

This was one of the last sorties into Treherbert territory however as a series of infringements and lack of possession from set pieces saw Old Pens penned into their own half.

On 18 minutes a scrum collapse resulted in a penalty to Treherbert that was kicked to the corner.  The lineout was won but the drive stopped by Tom Sidford and Gary Bishop. Penarthians were awarded the scrum but were pushed backwards and the ball was lost. 

The number eight broke and passed to the scrum half.  He in turn passed to the centre who was tackled short.  In the tackle the ball was knocked into his chest and as it bounced forward he regained the ball and in falling forward from the tackle crossed the tryline to score.  The conversion was good and Treherbert led 7 – 3.

Penarthians did manage a few more attacks and Sam Booth and Poole again nearly broke the defensive line.  Support work from Adan Cole and Josh Allcock meant that the ball was recycled but too often the last pass was ineffective.

To sum up the half, the last play of the period saw Penarthians receive a penalty that was kicked into touch by Crimp.  The lineout was however stolen by Treherbert, the ball kicked dead, and the half time whistle blown.

The half time talk from coaches Simon Hurley and Anthony Davies brought about a change of personnel with Gareth Clancy replacing Hillman and a refreshed look about the forwards.

Cole, Joel deClaire and Sam Hall all had drives supported by their team mates and one drive from deClaire had him pick up from a retreating scrummage but manage to stay strong and drive twenty metres with support from Allcock, Sidford and Scott Mackie. 

There were now signs of improvement and adventure, with a couple of opportunities taken from deep within their own 22.  During one of these break outs, Crimp put a short grubber kick ahead which he fielded himself and when trying to pass the ball to the supporting Booth a deliberate knock on saw the Treherbert offender sent to the side-lines for 10 minutes.

Crimp was again in action ten minutes later when he made a tackle as the last defender on a Treherbert centre who had split the Penarthians defence and run 40m towards a try.

In attack Poole had another opportunity but his pass out of the tackle to Craig Haines was dropped with Danny Godfrey in support.  It did lead to pressure in the Treherbert 22 and in a series of drives from lineouts, that worked well between deClaire and Allcock, territory was maintained.

The decisive series of plays came with five minutes remaining with the Penarthians forwards hammering on the tryline through 10 – 12 phases of play.  A way through could not be found and when the ball was released to the threequarters momentum and the game was lost.

The second half was therefore without a score and Treherbert won by 7 points to 3.

Next Saturday the first XV play at home against Llandaff North.  The second XV make the short journey to Barry RFC to play in a rugby festival organised by the WRU.  Both games kick off at 2.30pm.