All still to play for at top (From Penarth Times)

All still to play for at top

THE monsoon struck the Athletic Field last Saturday.

But despite grass being in shorter supply than standing water, the three dozen (including substitutes) or so warriors from Llantwit and Penarth donned the sub-aqua kit and gave us a fine display of competitive rugby, under the safety-conscious guidance of Robert Hale of Ebbw Vale.

Whether in acknowledgement of the conditions or, as the word on the touchline had it, due to the unexpected absence of skipper Andrew Edwards, Penarth took the park with a different type of inside centre - ex-skipper and doughty number 8 Mike Clare.

Because of the conditions, this turned out to be good tactics, and throughout the afternoon the dipped shoulder was used in preference to more delicate skills - and to very good effect.

Ten minutes of end-to-end sparring for advantage led to a Penarth scrum close in under the Llantwit posts.

The result indicated the likely direction of the spoils for the afternoon with Llantwit being shoved at a rate of knots by the Penarth eight, evergreen Hemi Taylor wrapping up the move from the number 8 slot vacated by Mike Clare.

The Chris Redicliff conversion was a formality.

However the watery metaphors were not to be continued by the flood gates opening.

Llantwit had come to spiritedly defend their status as Penarth's'banana skin' and to repeat their end-of-season victory of last year.

They approached this aim by adventurous running and had in Mathew Silva, at number 10, a kicker into space capable of turning defence into attack at one effort.

Fortunately, Penarth also fielded a skilled kicker-of-ball and number 10 Chris Redicliff put in one of his better displays of touch-finding, particularly when relieving pressure at critical moments.

Thus the first half developed with play swinging back and forth and some quite spectacular surfing to gather defensive ball by both sets of threequarters.

The packs, meantime, had sorted out their relationship and it was Penarth yet again this season establishing the sort of dominance that should put results beyond reasonable doubt.

It would be difficult to select individuals from the fine Penarth front eight, but on such an afternoon, to have an engine room as powerful as that supplied by Kevin Fitzgerald and Jason Allen gives comfort in set piece, ruck, maul and line out. Their work rate was exemplary.

Despite one spectacular Alun Bonello break and a relatively easy penalty for Llantwit, the score remained at 7-0 until half time.

The main change into the second half was that Penarth, who had resorted very little to the rolling maul, really turned this tactic on. The outcome was initially a thrust of all of 40 metres deep into opposition territory.

Although this pressure was relieved temporarily there followed immediately another roll, then serial pick up and driving by powerful scrum half Chris Mortimer, Peter Bennet and Hemi Taylor, culminating in another roller, from which prop David Morgan touched down.

Chris Redicliff converted.

Penarth started to use their bench by replacing the not-fully-fit Andrew Bradshaw with Brendan Bush, then Alun Bonello with Mike Hopkins.

Llantwit continued to battle and did well in keeping play almost exclusively in the Penarth half, but the home defence looked pretty solid throughout.

Geraint Evans came on for Chris Payne and James Docherty for Chris Mortimer, but apart from a burst of fisticuffs at wing three quarter, the game plan was focused entirely on avoiding that banana skin and securing the three points.

With conditions deteriorating steadily, Penarth were satisfied with controlling the play and only a Redicliff penalty added to the score.

Events elsewhere on Saturday were interesting.

Penallta won as expected, but Cilfynydd lost at Dowlais and Bedlinog took the points off Taff's Well on their home patch.

Except for the top spot itself, the leadership of the division is still wide open.

This Saturday, Penarth travel to Cowbridge, looking to achieve the double.

Penarth Team: Steve Roberts; Andrew Bradshaw (Brendan Bush); Liam Bevan; Mike Clare; James Crothers; Chris Redicliff; Chris Mortimer (James Docherty); Richard Merret; Peter Bennet; David Morgan; Jason Allen; Kevin Fitzgerald; Chris Payne (Geraint Evans); Alun Bonello (Mike Hopkins); Hemi Taylor.

Penarth 17

Llantwit Major 0