The fans all laughed until they cried........ (From Penarth Times)

The fans all laughed until they cried........

12:49pm Thursday 23rd November 2006

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PENARTH 17 BARRY 19 THERE was as much theatre as rugby on view at the Athletic Field last Saturday.

The dramatist was William Shakespeare and the play The Comedy of Errors.

Barry caused much of the hilarity with their full share of inept juggling and loose passes - but they at least had the last laugh, with an injury time try to give them a victory over Penarth by two points.

There was nothing in the first hour of play to give indication that Penarth would have a problem.

In bright sun but with a blustery wind and a greasy surface, they camped in the Barry 22, but failed to convert territory into points.

It appeared likely that Penarth would pay the penalty when Barry broke out of defence and ran the ball to the home line, only for their wing to juggle and drop the ball while in the in-goal area.

A period of unproductive midfield running and passing was brought to an end when the pack called time and drove Paul Gooding's lineout take to within range for prop Gary Power to ground it and for Liam Bevan to convert from wide out.

Further inconclusive play, with the players bunched like under 12s - all within five metres of the ball - took us to the half hour, when a weak relief kick sailed into the safe hands of the Barry wing, who gratefully made the score this time.

Errors of handling and kicking continued to predominate. But just before half-time, another drive from the lineout allowed a rare successful long pass and combination of Nick Gill and Chris Payne, to add five points for Penarth.

At the start of the second half, the Penarth pressure continued.

The only way that Barry could resist another rolling maul was for their number 9 to bring it down illegally to be duly yellow-carded.

Penarth continued the pressure and workhorse Jason Allen added his power to drive hooker Geraint Evans over.

So with half an hour to go, Penarth were sitting on a comfortable 17-5 lead.

Liam Bevan was injured and replaced by Chris Mortimer, with Andrew Edwards moving from scrum half to centre.

Both sides then produced the comedic gem of the afternoon.

Barry were pressuring and James Crothers took safely in defence, checked for his full back and threw the pass.

Danny Brookman, however, had immediately started to loop behind his wing, so the ball was delivered into a yawning gap just short of the line.

The Barry wing pounced, gathered, but then dropped the ball in the act of scoring!

Undismayed, Barry then camped in the Penarth 22, but proved that they were still minded to give the home side every chance by finding a huge gap on the opposite wing, only to deliver the final pass a good metre behind the potential scorer.

Mike Claire came on for Robert Pearce and Lloyd Davey for Steve Roberts, but Barry had had enough of being charitable and their outside half scooped a poor delivery from a five-metre scrum to score.

From then, it was all Barry territory and pressure, and Penarth were holding on to their five-point lead grimly.

An injury time scrummage ball was delivered for safe despatch to touch, but in just reward for never giving up and playing to the very end, the Barry back row man charged down the clearance.

The ensuing try was converted for victory - and comedy turned to tragedy for the home support.

For followers of odd statistics, Penarth have lost - in succession - a game with joint leaders Bedlinog; now a game with joint second Barry; and in two weeks are at home to joint third Aberdare.

All hope the sequence ends there.

This Friday, at the Athletic Field at 7.30pm, the Kevin Bush memorial game takes place - Penarth hope to see you there to honour the great club servant.

Penarth: Danny Brookman; James Crothers; Liam Bevan; (Chris Mortimer); Nick Gill; Steve Roberts (Lloyd Davey); James Docherty; Andrew Edwards (capt.); Chris Payne; Robert Pearce; Richard Ball; Paul Gooding; Jason Allen; Gary Power; Geraint Evans; Dai Morgan.

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