Fixture

After three weeks without rugby due to the Wales Internationals, Old Penarthians returned to league action in an away game against Ynysowen.  Last season Old Pens completed a double against Ynysowen and it was to be another successful visit last Saturday when on a wet and muddy, but playable, pitch the visitors came away with a deserved victory.

Old Penarthians started well with decisive breaks made by the backline through Chris Poole, Fearghas Gough and John Patterson.  When they were tackled the forwards were quick to support but all too often when the ball was recycled the referee allowed Ynysowen to ‘pinch’ a few yards giving their defence an advantage.

It was however from an infringement at a ruck after 7 minutes that Jonathan Crimp was able to kick the first points of the afternoon to give Old Pens a three-point lead.

From the restart the kick did not appear to travel the required 5m, but a lineout was awarded to the visitors.  Poor management of the ball saw a turnover to Ynysowen and in the ensuing attack Penarthians were penalised.  A kick to the corner gave Ynysowen a lineout which they won and drove forward.  Old Penarthians were deemed to have stopped the forward progress illegally and Tom Hughes stepped up to level the scores

Old Penarthians then passed into their best phase of the match with concerted efforts through the forwards with Scott Mackie, Dan Watts and Tom Sidford to the fore.  They were ably supported by Crimp, Rhys Lakin and Poole, who again nearly broke the defence to score.

From a scrum just inside the Ynysowen half Adan Cole picked up the ball and ran down the blindside.  He found Tomos Hillman in support who made ground into the twenty-two where he threw a dummy to Patterson to step inside a defender.  Unfortunately, the slippery conditions and a desperate cover tackle brought Hillman down 5m short, but a penalty was awarded.

A lineout option was chosen and won successfully.  Sidford, Sam Hall, Matt Sutton and Josh Allcock all made advances to the line and when the ball was released Lakin made a half break and nearly put Nathan Facey through the gap created.

Momentum was maintained and at a scrum, which had creaked for most of the first half, control was restored and a drive initiated.  The scrum went forward and with a penalty advantage being played, Cole picked up and passed to Lakin to power over in the left corner for a try. The conversion was unsuccessful but Penarthians led 8 – 3.

There was just time for the restart and for Facey to produce another siege-gun kick out of defence that travelled at least 60m.

At the break Gareth Clancy replaced Tom Hillman.  The change did not affect the pressure being mounted by the Penarthians forwards and three successful lineouts from Watts to Sutton twice and Allcock gave the visitors territorial advantage.  One maul even advanced 20m before it was brought to ground illegally.

So for ten minutes Ynysowen were kept within their own twenty-two and eventually the pressure told.  A defensive scrum was won but their outside half was forced to carry the ball forward rather than kick to touch.  He was tackled in a standing maul and Cole ripped the ball clear.  The possession was used wisely and with two quick passes Lakin released Poole to run through the defence to score.  Crimp converted and Penarthians deservedly led 15 – 3.

From the restart the ball was knocked on by Clancy and is so often the case after Penarthians score they gift the opposition an advantage.  This time it was not points but it led to twenty minutes of Ynysowen pressure which required stout defence by all the Penarthians team

This included all the players off the bench with James Roach, replacing Mackie, Louis Chandler and Joel deClaire for Allcock and Cole respectively and Gareth Boulton making a debut at tighthead prop instead of Gary Bishop.

Penarthians did break out of their own half when deClaire picked up from a scrum to find Crimp, Lakin and Poole in support.  After a ruck Clancy released Facey down the touchline and from a kick ahead by Gough Penarthians were 10m from the opposition tryline.  An infringement however resulted in a penalty and relieving kick to touch.  This was to be the last foray into opposition territory.

The remaining ten minutes were played in the Penarthians half and the players thought they had managed to keep their tryline intact until the last play of the game which saw Leighton James score an unconverted try for a final score line of 15 – 8 to the visitors

This Saturday Old Penarthians entertain Caerau Ely in the next round of Division 3 South East (B) matches.  Kick-off is at 2.30pm.