Police use force to thrash their hosts (From Penarth Times)

Police use force to thrash their hosts

Old Penarthians 0 - South Wales Police 55

THE sun shone brightly at Cwrt y Vil last Saturday - but it was a dark day for hosts Old Penarthians who suffered their worst defeat of the season.

Opponents South Wales Police ran in eight tries without reply to register an impressive league victory by 54 points to nil.

The writing was on the wall as early as the third minute when outside half Dafydd Bevan put the finishing touch to a slick handling move for a try converted by winger Wayne Evans.

From then on, it was clearly a case of men against boys as the superior physique of the visitors took awesome charge of the exchanges.

Centre Esyr Jones was next to make his mark with Evans again adding the extra points, but it was a cruel turn of fate that then set the Old Boys further in arrears.

Sheer hard work from forwards and backs had seen the side force their way into the Police 25 and a score seemed certain when John Aubrey passed to the right in sight of the line.

So it turned out but at the opposite end Wayne Evans had gambled on the interception and it was a gamble that paid off. The winger set off on a 95-yard sprint that took him away from the despairing cover and over at the posts for a sensational try that he also converted.

Traffic was now largely one way with Gareth Morgan and the powerful Gareth Bishop forcing their way over for scores that were improved upon by the accurate Evans. Penarthians were not completely overawed at this stage and Steve Roberts took time out from his commitment to constant tackling to set the alarm bells ringing at the opposite end as he set off on a superb solo run that covered 80 yards.

The final word of the half was left to the visitors when lively hooker Simon Giboney broke clear of a maul to cross for the sixth touchdown that was duly converted as Wayne Evans maintained his 100 per cent record to give his side an incredible 42-0 lead at the break. Dafydd Bevan touched down for his second try within minutes of the restart. With Evans adding the inevitable conversion, it seemed that the hosts were about to be put to the sword.

But Mark Smart's men were not prepared to throw in the towel completely and Smart himself battled with characteristic courage with fine support from Ross Turpitt and David Mason while Bob Denning and Mark Curtis again gave no quarter. It was not until the 37th minute of the half that the visitors scored again, when centre Darryl Thomas scoring his 100th try for the Force.

l On the adjacent pitch the Seconds, boosted by numbers provided by opponents Llandaff North, were comfortably beaten in 17-5.