Fixture

What a disappointing weekend for Old Penarthians 1^st XV in their home Division 4 East Central league fixture against Pontycymer.  After the rousing last minute victory away to Brackla the week before, last Saturday saw the team capitulate in the last 25 minutes of the game and throw away a 19-point lead to lose 21-19.

The defeat meant that Old Penarthians failed to climb above their league rivals in the table and still leaves them with a lot of work to do in the rest of the season to remain in the division which under WRU League Regulations will see two teams promoted from the league and four teams relegated. It means only four of the ten-team league will remain insitu. This ruling is just as baffling as how Old Pens managed to lose a game that was theirs’ to win.

Deciding to play with the wind in the first half seemed like a good idea in order to build momentum and then defend well in the second period and at least half of that plan worked with an interval lead of twelve points. This despite captain Jonathan Crimp having something of an off-day with his kicking out of hand when trying to find touch and losing his footing when attempting a penalty kick at goal from a relatively easy position

That said, the positives were the forward carries of Andy Gill, responding well to his critics last week, Tom Sidford, Liam Brooks and Elliot Dyment-Salmon and the interlink play of Connor Chrisie, Rory Hone and Craig Haines in the threequarters.

And the first try was to come from a combination of backs and forwards with the move starting inside the Old Pens half with a ball steal by Dyment-Salmon who passed to Haines.  He passed to Hone who fed Gill who raised along the touchline making 25m.  As he was about to be tackled, he passed inside to Haines who found a support runner in Tomos Hillman, playing on permit from Penarth, who ran in from 20m to score a try converted by Crimp.

Penarthians continued to pressurise Pontycymer and multiple infringements saw their centre sent from the field for a 10-minute rest. The resulting penalty led to an attacking lineout won cleanly by Charlie Wheatley from a James Reynolds throw but the resulting maul organised by Josh Allcock was penalised and Pontycymer cleared their lines.  From their line out a second kick into midfield was caught by Crimp who immediately passed to Christie.  He ran into space before giving a pass to Ieuan Harris who sprinted in to score from 25m with Richie Moir in support.  The conversion was missed but with half time imminent Old Pens led 12-0

The second half started with a rib injury to Gill in a tackle and Rhys Thomas taking his place but soon afterwards Penarthians extended their lead when a quick penalty taken by Hillman released the threequarters.  Good passing saw Reynolds sprint forward along the touchline and give an inside pass to Hone.  The ruck gave quick ball and Sidford passed to Crimp who stepped back into the forwards to give Anthony Armstrong a pass and he swerved through tackles to score his second try of the season from 25m out.  Crimp converted and Old Pens lead was 19 points

There were a few more meaningful plays in the half but ultimately that was the end of the good news for Old Penarthians because the rest of the game was spent defending, managing injury substitutions and unfortunately conceding tries. Those points arose after 12 minutes from an Andrew Harris try and Gareth Howells conversion before Howells added a try himself after a 25m run through poor tackling and conversion on 30 minutes.  The final try came after 35 minutes from sustained forward pressure that could not be repelled and a conversion from Howell to make the final score 21-19 to the visiting team.

There were many rejected players and supporters after the game but the bonus point in defeat did lift the team out of the relegation places but it could have, and probably should have, been a much better afternoon.

The next Od Penarthians league fixture is on Saturday 27^th January away to second placed Tonyrefail and it is hoped that the injuries sustained by the players this week are sufficiently overcome to allow a competitive team to take to the field for a scheduled 2.30pm kick off.