1:15pm Thursday 8th March 2007
Barry 11 Penarth 21 THERE were lessons to be learned from the narrow defeat against leaders Bedlinog a fortnight ago - and the Seasiders went straight to the top of the class, if not the league, with a finely-judged win at Barry last Saturday.
While the performance was nothing to write home about, the way Penarth expertly closed the game down in the last ten minutes had promotion written all over it.
The Seasiders had first use of a stiff wind, which was judged to be worth about 20 points, but Barry played all the rugby in the first half.
Much good it did them, though - Penarth obviously had a plan.
Initially, this involved putting a penalty into the corner and driving Darryl Howden over at the second attempt.
Unfortunately, it also included a comedy of errors and incompetence at the other end from the restart that resulted in outside half A Griffiths skipping over to make the score 5-7 to the visitors.
A good deal of unpleasantness ensued over the next 15 minutes and Barry seemed to be attracting most of the referee's attention as the Seasiders accepted an extra 10m for talking back and threw in to a 15m line-out.
Thirty seconds and any number of Barry infringements later, the ref headed for the posts to award a penalty try.
Barry came back with ferocity and invention, but Penarth were solid and kept them out until near half time.
In a final throw of the dice, A Griffiths put through a grubber kick, but it bounced up into James Docherty's hands and the outside half returned the compliment as his backs gave chase and forced a five metre scrum.
After one failed drive and a reset, Mike Clare peeled off the back of the next one and a fine Docherty conversion from touch made it 5-21 to the visitors at half time.
Sixteen points didn't look quite enough as the wind continued to blow and Barry spent the next 30 minutes putting down roots in the Seasiders' half.
Former Athletic Field favourite Chris Cummings chipped away at the lead with penalties on 53 and 64 minutes and while they kept Penarth pinned back, their reward seemed sure to come.
Only it didn't quite turn out that way, as the Seasiders finally broke out with ten minutes to go and simply camped out in the Barry half until it was all over.
They didn't really look like scoring as such, but they simply mauled the hosts to a standstill and the ten-point lead was never under serious threat. I never saw myself ever writing this, but Penarth simply wanted it more.
This was just the result that Penarth needed, with promotion still a possibility.
With six matches to go, there's probably only an away match at second-placed Aberdare standing between them and a runners-up spot.
Next up is rearranged fixture at Cilfynydd this Friday, with the hosts sitting in 11th place after a disastrous start to the season. Two recent wins against the two clubs immediately above them shouldn't be proof against the Seasiders' firepower.
PENARTH: Roberts, J.Crothers (Davey), Bevan, Edwards, Reddicliffe (Brookman), Docherty, Mortimer, Merrett, Evans, Power, Allen, Gooding, Howden, Clare, Pearce.
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