Pressure on Bedlinog as Penarth look on... (From Penarth Times)

Pressure on Bedlinog as Penarth look on...

PENARTH S playing season ended with a narrow but decisive loss in the Bedlinog bear-pit on Easter Saturday.

The 14-20 reverse surely put paid to the Seasiders hopes of deciding the matter of promotion in their favour, but the story doesn t quite end there.

A quick glance at the league table will convince even the most cynical observer that the Seasiders are still occupying the second promotion spot.

Before last weekend, the position was that Penarth had completed their fixtures and reached 48 points; Bedlinog had four games to play and 42 points.

The trouble for them was that they had a far worse points for and try count, so in order to get past Penarth, they had to plan to win three out of those last four games or, more to the point, avoid losing more than one.

In much the same way as it could have been predicted that the Foxes would contrive to beat the Seasiders by hook or by crook (opinion is divided on this), it was also a nailed-on certainty that they would have some trouble of their own when they visited champions-elect Penallta.

Which brings us to last Saturday in Ystrad Mynach: Penallta moved on to 60 points and finally claimed the championship by defeating Bedlinog 24-10.

Now the Foxes have lost the one they could afford to lose and must now win all their remaining games.

Unfortunately for the Seasiders, two of these are at home, where the usual fiercely hospitable Bedlinog welcome can presumably be arranged.

Whether Llandaff North or Dowlais can make a better fist of things is open to question, but the answer probably lies more with Bedlinog s own durability than elsewhere.

The other fixture is away at Dowlais and even though it s easy to predict a full haul for Penarth s only rivals, they re still six points behind in fourth place and have it all to do.

It s not over til it s over.