SEASIDERS HAVE TO KEEP ON WINNING (From Penarth Times)

SEASIDERS HAVE TO KEEP ON WINNING

PENARTH swing back into action this weekend after a fortnight spent enjoying the opening weekend of the Six Nations with the rest of us.

It's destination Cilfynydd as the Seasiders make their way up Taff Vale once again with an agenda.

A 50-point win in a friendly against Clwb Rygbi Caerdydd at the Athletic Field last Friday gives us little indication of current form, but the performance against Penallta the previous week showed there was little fundamentally wrong.

Third-placed Cilfynydd are one of the few teams to have got the better of Penarth this season, although at the time they didn't look much like contenders.

The 27-8 defeat at the Athletic Field came courtesy of a dull performance by the home side, following a heavy defeat the week before at Penallta.

Since then, Cilfynydd have recorded eight straight wins, while Penarth themselves have completed seven and two defeats.

It's all looking very tight at the top and the opposition have games in hand, but it's not all bad news for the Seasiders.

We can safely assume that Penallta, who haven't lost a league match since the opening day of the season, are odds-on for the championship and let's hope they continue their unbeaten run to the very end.

Why's that?

Simple: they still have to play all the promotion contenders apart from Penarth.

Penallta's nine remaining games include Cilfynydd twice, Taffs Well twice and Bedlinog.

That's the story, but it isn't a bad one, is it?

Come on Penallta!

Of course, that still leaves the Seasiders with the basic challenge of winning their remaining matches if they still want to go up.

This Saturday at Cilfynydd is the highest hurdle, but if the pack put in the sort of performance that destroyed Penallta's set piece a week ago, no-one else is going to be able to live with them.

To be fair, the real advantage is one they've already earned: a try count way out in front of everyone else (apart from Penallta).

It's what's keeping Cilfynydd in third place and, just so long as Penarth keep on winning, it'll stand them in good stead when the dust settles.