PENARTH 14 PENALLTA 18

A NUMBER of unavailable players meant that Penarth took the field with a few ‘old stagers’ as well as a couple of youngsters.

This didn’t hold them back one jot as they tore into a Penallta side from the off. An early penalty was taken advantage of, an effective maul developed and, in sniffing distance of the line scrum half Chris Mortimer used his strength to all but touch down. This left his fellow half back, Andrew Edwards to pick up and dab the ball over.

This satisfactory start was built on by consistent strong ball carrying in which backs and forwards contributed equally but with James Roach, Richard Merrett, Elliot Smith, Rob O’Brien and James Crothers prominent. So dominant were Penarth that the visitors only entered the home half once in the first 20 minutes, but it did earn them 3 points.

There were some danger signs in that two potentially valuable attacking lines out were lost. It should also be mentioned that the home cause was being helped by the visiting number 10 who banged his first restart beyond the dead ball line and was having real problems finding touch with his clearances.

Eventually the visiting half back started to get continuity and smooth transition of the ball to the wing allowed a wide out score to give the visitors the lead.

It only lasted a minute as young full back Cody Rees calmly slotted a penalty for Penarth.

The scores stayed equal until almost half time when Penarth made a critical error. The tackle on Penallta wing Edwards was weak, so that he maintained momentum and his touch down was close enough in for conversion.

As consolation Cody Rees added a further penalty but the home side, having dominated the majority of play went in 11-15 in arrears.

Whilst the first 40 minutes was full of exhilarating stuff the second period became scrappy as two sides who needed the points started to infringe. A string of penalties went either way with the visitors benefiting from the only really kickable one.

After 20 inconclusive minutes Penarth tried to get a bit of continuity back by introducing Scott Mackie for Andrew Edwards and switching Colby Rees into outside half. Rees immediately showed enterprise and only just failed with a drop goal attempt. He was aware of advantage being played and took the 3 points anyway from the penalty.

Rees’s next contribution was a lovely interchange of passing with Sean O’Brien down the right wing that had the Penallta defence in tatters. The deserved 7 points for the attacking move of the game was denied by a forward pass ruling at the death.

Scott Mackie replaced Elliot Smith and Mike Clare the powerful work horse Rob O’Brien.

Sadly, though Penarth never lost touch and continued to supplement determined defence with some progressive charges, they did not get the continuity to make a break through and gain more than the consolation of a losing bonus point.

Penarth: Cody Rees, Sean O’Brien, Jonathan Davies, Liam Bevan, James Crothers, Andrew Edwards (Luke Hill), Chris Mortimer, Rob O’Brien (Mike Clare), Geraint Blake, Elliot Smith (Scott Mackie), James Beaton, James Roach, Dai Morgan, Gary Power, Richard Merrett (c).