Dinas Powys RFC's stuttering start continues (From Penarth Times)

Dinas Powys RFC's stuttering start continues

8:10am Thursday 22nd September 2011 in Sport

DINAS POWYS 20 CLWB RYGBI CAERDYDD 29

THE VILLAGERS' stuttering start to the season continued with a disappointing loss on the Common to Clwb Rygbi .

The home side started brightly and it was against the run of play that the visitors took the lead through a penalty after 5 minutes.

Strong carries from Mike Jones and Lloyd Hoarwood resulted in a penalty kick that drifted agonisingly wide of the post.

The home side had the benefit of a strong breeze in the first half and it was the failure to utilise this element fully that was to be the difference at the end of the game.

A poor clearance kick by the visitors saw Tom Chapman, restored this week to his favoured left wing position, run strongly to gain 40 metres and result in another kick at goal which again narrowly missed bisecting the posts.

Within 5 minutes the scores were level when David Lloyd converted a penalty after he was high tackled.

The next few phases of play saw the Dinas refuse the option of utilising the wind at their backs to clear their line, opting to run the ball from defensive positions. This resulted in a series of penalties for the visitors that saw them lead by 6-9 after 25 minutes of the match had been completed.

The highlight of the game was to be a thrilling outside break from centre John 'Evo' Evans which saw him draw the full back and throw an inside pass for supporting scrum half Nathan Williams to scamper over for a try that gave the home side the lead for the first time by 13-12.

The restart failed to travel 10 metres and the resulting scrum saw number 8 Andrew Knibbs pick up and feed scrum half Williams who made a beautiful arcing run to scamper under the posts. With the conversion added the home side had the lead by 20-12.

The visitors then exerted great pressure for the final few minutes of the first half and only brave defensive work by Mike Jones and the excellent Morgan Williams saw the Cardiff men fail to ground the ball when over the try line. HT 20-12.

The start of the second half saw Dinas Powys play their best sustained rugby of the season, the control of the driving forwards was exemplary and organised carries by skipper Tom Patterson, Gareth Bennett and the robust Matthew Knibbs saw the home side rewarded with yet another penalty.

The kick into the wind fell agonisingly short and the resulting restart assisted by the strengthening wind saw the visitors enjoy long periods in the home side's half. Brave defensive work by scrum half Williams resulted in him sustaining a hand injury and saw him replaced at scrum half by Lewis Morgan.

The Villagers seemed to have weathered the storm as the visitors knocked on and the resulting defensive scrum was solid but the ball was lost in contact and the visiting scrum half pounced for a converted try to make the score 20-19 .

A thrilling break by fly half David LLoyd saw the home side only 10 metres from the tryline, but the returning defensive players were allowed by the referee to tackle the Dinas Powys players even though a ruck had been formed.

The illegal play saw the ball spilt and the resulting wind assisted flyhack bounced kindly for the visitors' left wing. A converted try saw the visitors lead by 20-29.

The home side galvanised themselves and tried bravely to at least gain a losing bonus point, but strong defence and a series of injuries suffered by the visitors saw the game come to a disjointed and lacklustre end.

The failure to fully utilise the elements in the first half and a series of confusing penalties for the visitors saw the Villagers lose to a spirited Clwb Rygbi, but the confidence in the team remains high and all connected with the side appreciate that the difference between victory and defeat is very small.

A difficult trip to Cefn Coed awaits this Saturday, but with a little bit of good fortune, and hard work on the training pitch during the coming week a favourable result is expected.