Everyone gets to show off their skills (From Penarth Times)

Everyone gets to show off their skills

Penarth Youth 11

St Joseph's 5

IT WASN'T the highest quality rugby on display, but this match was important to Penarth Youth.

Not just to get through to the next round of the WRU East District Youth Cup, but to show that this young side can take on serious opposition despite playing without their inspirational captain Jon Wingren and second row Andrew Hillbourne.

Both are now unavailable for most of the rest of the season.

The two sides were fired up from the kick-off.

The visitors made several early charges, coming close to Penarth's line, but the defence held well and gradually the home side moved the action upfield with good reliable linking and ball handling.

Eventually, fly half Chris Roberts, the latest in a long line of brothers who have played regularly for the Youth, put over a penalty.

This was followed shortly after by an excellent try from centre Liam Bevan, who himself has only just come back from injury.

This cup match highlighted the shortage of qualified referees, since the Cardiff panel could not provide one until two hours before the game.

Penarth had the best of the second half but could not put another score on the board, and a lapse in concentration allowed St Joseph's to get too close to their line and an unconverted try was the punishment.

The squad now totals 28 players and changes were made even in this cup game so that all available players could show their paces.

Penarth Man of the Match went jointly to No 8 captain Mike Hopkins and to one of two newcomers, loosehead Rhys Blake who, together with the other newcomer Jack Davies, made a very good start with Penarth.

This Saturday, the Youth are away to Treorchy, in the third of the WRU Division One Youth League matches.

Always working hard for sponsorship, the Youth were very pleased to be presented with a complete new set of club shirts for this season by Mark Crandon, of Crandon design. And Penarth Athletic Club has just presented the Youth with a cheque for 300 to cover coach hire. Thanks also go to Old Pens RFC for the use of their facilities on Saturday.