Fixture

With victory at home against Cefn Coed last Saturday by 22-3 Old Penarthians have risen to fourth in Specsavers Division 3 East Central (B).  The management consider they are well placed with games in hand over teams above them but they are looking for full commitment from the squad in the next two weeks before the Six Nations starts.

Unlike the previous week the team had a full front row contingent and were pleased to welcome back hooker Dan Watts playing on permit.  Peter Bennett also returned from injury and with a more settled scrummage and a dominant lineout through Bennett, James Roach, James Beaton and Stuart Clarke there was a good supply of ball to the threequarters.

And for twenty-five minutes the Old Penarthians dominated territory and possession but were thwarted by stout Cefn Coed defence.  At times their defence gave away penalties but a series of lineouts could not provide the necessary score to ease the nerves of a good touchline crowd.

One chance came from a scrum in midfield with the threequarters stacked to the left side.  deClaire picked up from the base and broke right.  He found Gareth Mathias on his shoulder who passed to Nathan Facey.  Unfortunately, he tried to pass the ball to unmarked winger Mark Sadler before he had caught it and the ball fell forward

The chance that was taken again started with deClaire who caught an errant kick to touch on halfway.  He ran forward to feed Rowan Allcock, who in turn passed to Sadler.  He found captain Rhys Lakin in support who entered the opposition 22.  Lakin passed to Nathan Smith who quickly moved the ball onto the overlapping Jonathan Crimp.  Crimp committed the winger before sending a return pass to Smith who crossed for an excellent team try.

Soon after a Lakin drive into midfield caused Cefn Coed to concede a penalty that was converted by Facey.  The half ended with an 8-0 scoreline but not before James Beaton saw yellow as did the Cefn Coed centre in two separate incidents

From the restart Old Pens made an error and a penalty was awarded.  The Cefn outside half then kicked the three points to unsettle the home support whose team were now playing into a stiff breeze.

Penarthians were soon back on the attack however through Crimp and Clarke who again released Sadler down the touchline.  His inside pass found Clarke again but the move faltered

Cefn Coed did not give up and then had ten minutes of pressure themselves.  Only good tryline defence from Matt Sutton and the rest of the forwards ensured the line was intact.

On 15 minutes a midfield break by Crimp found support from Mathias and Lakin to set up a position for the supporting forwards.  Watts, Clarke and Crockett drove forward before Smith bullied his way over from 10m for his second try.  Facey, who was later awarded the spectators man-of-the-match sponsored by Ceramic Tile Warehouse, converted

The coaches then unloaded their substitutes bench giving a first start to Kevin Maddox, Scott Mackie, Owen Thomas, Liam Bevan and Ben Donovan.

Bevan was soon in the attacking action when he thrust through the defence to pass to Sadler .  He took a return pass but his offload to Donovan went to the floor with the try line glaring.  Donovan made amends however before the end of the game when he raced across the field to make a try saving tackle.

The final score of the match went to the home team when a 5m lineout was caught cleanly by Beaton and an organised maul resulted in Bennett touching down. Facey converted for a final score of 22-3.

This Saturday the 1^st XV are away to Llandaff North whilst the 2^nd XV entertain Taffs Well.  Kick offs are scheduled for 2.30pm