Seasiders fall at last hurdle (From Penarth Times)

Seasiders fall at last hurdle

Blaina 23 Penarth 18

PENARTH MADE the familiar trip up the Ebbw Fach to Central Park with a below-strength line-up and it showed from the start.

A fired-up Blaina tore into the Seasiders from the whistle and the visitors spent much of the match on the back foot.

In bright sun, with a light breeze at their backs, Penarth showed a more constructive approach than their hosts, who looked the more likely to be discomfited by referee Shaun Moore's pedantic view of the game.

Lengthy periods of play were at a premium throughout, although the Seasiders put together the first scoring move when Blaina were caught offside and Craig Miller converted the penalty from 25 metres. The hosts responded with alacrity and started to disrupt the Penarth scrum, gaining an equalising penalty five minutes later.

From the restart, the Seasiders launched an ambitious attack, but soon turned the ball over in such confused circumstances that they effectively assisted Blaina in fly-hacking the ball towards their own posts. The home scrum was well clear from the resulting scrum and only failed to score by dropping the ball over the line.

To be fair to both sides, attack was the order of the day and play surged backwards and forwards in a series of lurches. Now it was Penarth's turn with a stirring charge upfield by Carter and Clare, setting Leon Patnett off for a trot short of half way. The winger chipped the first line of defence before the full back handled the ball into touch and was penalised.

Blaina were adjudged offside at the drop-out and Mike Clare launched another assault, David Carter calling for the pass and cutting through to the line only to be tackled short. Blaina gained a penalty for holding on and launched their own counter, which ended with a converted penalty to lead 6-3 after 20 minutes.

After a couple of well smothered thrusts from Carter and Patnett, Craig Miller raised the spirits with a well-struck 40 metre drop goal to level the scores again.

Now the home side made the telling breakthrough after yet another touch kick was directed safely into their left wing's hands. Desperate defence from the Seasiders was eventually overcome as the ball was worked wide for the right wing to score in the left corner. However, the last word in the first half was Penarth's as Blaina returned the compliment by clearing straight to Leon Patnett. He slipped it wide to Brendan Bush, coming up at pace with Carter in close attendance and it was flanker Alun Bonello providing the support to score an excellent debut first-class try.

Turning around with the score at 13-13, it seemed as if the Seasiders simply had to tighten their game up a little to march off with the spoils. Bonello kept up his high work-rate, pouncing on a loose ball on the home 10m line and fly-hacking towards the corner, winning a line-out. Penarth failed to capitalise on an excellent attacking position and failed to collect. Blaina came back with a lengthy build-up, losing the ball several times, but always getting away with it. Stout defence from Penarth failed to reap any reward as the hosts converted a penalty to lead 16-13.

Now the home side made what turned out to be their decisive move. The Seasiders knocked on from the restart and their full-back set off on a furious charge upfield, brushing aside the increasingly hapless Danny Brookman. Brendan Bush nailed him with his usual efficiency, but the ball was popped up in the tackle for the home left wing to romp home unchallenged.

By now, the Seasiders were looking decidedly shaky as an injured Simon Crothers was followed off the field by an exhausted Gavin Seymour, but from a seemingly desperate position, they found some momentum from somewhere. Several thrusts went in from corner to corner before Paul Gooding slipped it skilfully back to Craig Miller for the outside half to drive in at the corner. With only five points to make up, the game seemed within the Seasiders' grasp, but it was not to be. With Darrol Howden carrying an injury and the error count spiralling dizzily, they simply couldn't get into the home 22 until the last minute of time added on. Then an excellent run along a crowded line by Robert Cummings gained a penalty 20 metres out, which was kicked to the corner. A beautifully executed catch-and-drive from a pack reinforced by Greg Swaine was finally halted on the line and Blaina cleared to claim the three points.

New Tredegar are next up at the Athletic Field this coming Saturday having had their game against Caldicot postponed, leaving them in ninth place. The following Friday evening sees the next stage in the Seasiders' 2001-2 cup run with a Principality Cup 2nd round tie against Division 5 (North) Dolgellau.