Pitch battle ground (From Penarth Times)

Pitch battle ground

PENARTH Rugby Club fear their push for promotion could be hit because the Vale council has started work on their Penarth Athletic Ground pitch before the end of the season.

David Hughes, secretary of Penarth RFC, said: "The council has taken down our posts early and covered the pitch with topsoil - yet we still have important fixtures coming up and also need the pitch to train on in our push for promotion.

"The Good Friday Penarth Youth game against Crawshays Welsh Youth XV is a prestigious event for the club. I am deeply concerned that as a result of the work done so far, the pitch will not be ready and may result in the game being cancelled.

"This would be a great embarrassment to the youth section, their sponsors, and an insult to our visitors Crawshays."

But Phil Beaman, the Vale Council's Operational Manager (parks and grounds maintenance), said: "Rugby club officials have been aware since a meeting last July that the Council would be taking the posts down after their last home league fixture (March 25), undertaking some work on the pitch - which also serves as the outfield during the cricket season - and re-erecting the posts for the Good Friday game against Crawshays."

But secretary Mr Hughes said the club was not aware of this.