Inconsistent Old Penarthians pay the price (From Penarth Times)

Inconsistent Old Penarthians pay the price

7:50am Thursday 4th February 2010

• Print
• Email
• Share

CANTON 26 Old Penarthians 13

IF THERE is one aspect of play that the long suffering supporters of Old Penarthians can consistently guarantee from their favourites, it is inconsistency of performance.

Following the outstanding display that had seen the side share the spoils with high-flying Blackwood Stars only a week ago, Scott McCarthy and his men travelled the short distance to the Lawrenny Avenue headquarters of Canton RFC confident of success against opponents languishing in the bottom two of the Division and with only two previous victories to their credit.

One should have known better.

Old Boys paid the penalty for the apparent assumption that they only had to turn up to win, and were put to the sword by much more committed opponents who fully deserved the margin of their four tries to one victory. Ironically enough, conditions were perfect on the day with glorious sunshine highlighting the magnificent surface that must make the Lawrenny Avenue pitch the best in the whole of the Cardiff area. Only recently released by the local authority for action, it provided an open invitation for both sides to commit themselves to a feast of running rugby. Sadly, it was Canton who made the most of the invitation.

Perhaps the signs were there even before kick-off.

Certainly, the home warm-up session was fearsome and it was almost a wonder that they were left with enough for a side, such was the ferocity with which the players attacked those holding the tackle bags. The exercise paid off, however, for the hosts were on the offensive from the start and Penarthians were forced back into the 25 until a tremendous driving maul enabled them to gain some 30 yards whilst relieving that initial pressure.

Nevertheless, Canton were still hungry and, in the 10th minute, an innocuous counter from close to half way turned into the opening score as tackle after tackle fell away from the albeit pacey charge that sent full back Peter Hughes racing to the corner for an opportunist touch down.

The kick failed but, from the restart, the visitors again failed to put in their tackles and, with a penalty conceded close to the 25, Hughes’ kick added to the lead.

At last, the Old Boys made a contribution to proceedings with Steve Mohring bursting through the centre before launching a kick to the corner that just eluded the clutches of the fast following Richie Moir.

In the 17th minute, however, good work from the forwards produced quality ball that enabled Steve Mohring to carve up the middle once again. As the cover converged, the centre off-loaded to his colleague and Tim Naylor comfortably cruised over for a touchdown at the posts that was converted by Skipper McCarthy.

Penarthians now appeared to be in full flow and Simon Davies’ excellent break from a lineout took him deep into the 25 where Canton infringed.

Scott McCarthy made no mistake with the simplest of kicks from less than 20 yards to put his side ahead for the first and, as subsequent events were to prove, only time in the game. It was now the turn of Canton to take up the cudgels with number eight Liam Sullivan setting a fine example. The home Skipper broke clear from a scrum on his own 10 yard line and was contemptuous in the way that he brushed aside some feeble defending as he took play into the opposing 25. Support was quickly at hand and two quick passes sent winger Joel Joseph in at the corner for a fine try.

Things could even have got worse for, when Richie Moir got into trouble close to the 25, another try seemed imminent. Fortunately, lock Tony Kemp came to the rescue with a marvellous cover tackle that saved a seemingly certain score.

Even so, the visitors were forced to hang on in some desperation as play continued on and into the 48th minute of the half.

The respite of the interval was, however, only brief for it took the hosts just 56 seconds to add to their lead. The attack was mounted on the Penarthians right and the defence was seen to be in total shambles as winger Callum Hill outflanked the lot in a touchline run that brought him an improbable score.

At last the visiting eight made their presence felt and a series of driving mauls established a position close to the corner. The home defence conceded a penalty close to the posts and McCarthy’s kick found the target to put his side within one score of the opposition. Both sides now fought frantically to establish ascendancy but the Old Boys did little to further their cause with the series of indisciplines that constantly incurred the wrath of the referee. This resulted in a penalty in front of the posts that was kicked by Peter Hughes to restore the 8 point lead.

Brief hope came from an excellent run out of defence by Tim Naylor but the result was put beyond doubt in the 37th minute.

The scrum was in front of the posts and Canton won the ball going right. A dummy move created defensive hesitancy but it was the timing of full back Hughes that did the damage and he raced clean through for the excellent try that earned his side a winning bonus point.

This defeat was a major blow to Penarthian morale but it must be said that the hosts were the better side on the day. They gained a surprising ascendancy in the set scrums and, with Skipper Sullivan outstanding, were the sharper in the loose. Only in the linesout where Alun Haines and Paul Langley did some excellent work were the Old Boys to be seen to advantage.

It was a similar story behind where wrong options too often wasted attacking opportunities that could have proved fruitful. Meanwhile, both forwards and backs were guilty of participation in defensive frailties that allowed the opposition to enjoy a try scoring field day. Adding to the post-match doom and gloom was the discovery that the water in the showers was stone cold, although the subsequent sight of the 50-odd stone bulk of Alun Haines, Paul Langley, and James Evans crammed into Jippy’s Smart car for the journey home was the source of some amusement.

SECONDS

IT was an equally black day at Cwrt-y-Vil where the Seconds suffered almost complete humiliation in the 74 points to 3 drubbing received at the hands of visitors Llanishen.

Whilst the Cardiff side was clearly a well drilled and experienced outfit, the disappointing feature for the Old Boys was the lack of defensive appetite that might otherwise have helped to restrict the score.

In fairness, it should be said that there was extreme difficulty in raising a side at all, but very few reputations were made on the day.

Penarthians points came from a penalty kicked by outside half Rhys Morgan who was part of a useful partnership in company with Tom Parkinson, although the latter did show an alarming propensity for placing his head in unfavourable positions at times.

James Beaton was a hard working number eight but one of the few to escape criticism was veteran Paul Kemp who inevitably tackled anything within reach. Paul had intended turning out a week earlier but over-indulgence on a sun bed resulted in a red faced withdrawal on that occasion!

The start of the 6 Nations tournament means that there are no fixtures this weekend.

• Print
• Email
• Share