After three consecutive weeks and three wins on the road Dinas Powis RFC finally made this season’s home debut as they played host to visitors Porthcawl on the Common. The conditions were truly autumnal as the crowd gathered to support the home team, amongst them was special guest Club President Graham Campbell who had made a journey from his home in the Midlands to watch the incumbent squad in action.

Coming into the game the Villagers were looking to extend their lead at the top of the league while Porthcawl, fresh from their first win of season, were hoping to end the host’s unbeaten run in the season so far.

Dinas Powis kicked off into the wind and a number of frantic exchanges. The powerfully built Ashley Morgan made his presence felt early on as his thumping tackle dislodged the ball from the attacking players grasp. Within a heartbeat captain and fly half David Lloyd managed to break over the gain line and weave his way from within his own 22 to score the first try of the match under the sticks and giving full back Nic Coles a simple conversions attempt. Within five minutes the hosts were a promising 7-0 ahead.

The tackling was brutal as both sides challenged for the ball at each and every opportunity. It was during one such encounter that scrum half Matt, who was making his debut for Dinas Powis, suffered an excruciating injury to his knee and had to leave the field of play making way for replacement Kieran Spear.

A number of handling errors from both sides led to Porthcawl being awarded a scrum for a knock on. The Villager’s pack, fronted by Tom Patterson, Nick Vagges and Mike Jones won the ball against the head giving the backs a platform from which to break. Winger Duke Durham, playing his second season in the first XV, showed his blistering pace to run in the game’s second try out wide in the corner. A difficult conversion attempt from the touchline was held up by the head wind and the score advanced to 12-0.

Porthcawl, motivated to keep within touching distance of the Dinas score, continued to apply pressure at each phase of play. Their persistence was awarded ten minutes later by way of a penalty awarded against the Villager’s for an infringement of the laws whilst desperately trying to recover the ball. The long range wind assisted penalty attempt was converted and Porthcawl notched up their first points of the match, 12-3.

Dinas continued to play for territory and it wasn’t too long before the exiting form of teenager Duke could once again be seen storming up the pitch. However on this occasion the covering tackle was good and he was ushered into touch. An error by Porthcawl at the resulting lineout meant the ball was almost immediately back in the hands of the Villager’s. The ball was moved swiftly from player to player until it eventually ended up in the grasp of Mike Smith who needed no second invitation to cross the try line. A difficult kick from the far edge of the pitch was expertly slotted between the posts to increase the score between the teams by seven points.

Another excellent break from the restart almost resulted in a try for bulky prop Mike Jones who appeared to have a touch of white line fever. Unfortunately he ended up conceding a penalty after the referee deemed that he had failed to release the ball upon being tackled just feet from the try line.

The following ten minutes of play were the best of the half for the away team. Sustained pressure on the defending Villager’s drawing two penalties in quick succession, both of which were successful. As the half time whistle sounded the score stood at a promising 19 – 9 to the Villager’s.

Nic Coles was presented with an opportunity to ease Dinas further ahead within minutes of the restart. With the wind now in his favour the talented player had little difficulty in bisecting the yellow and blue sticks and so it was that the first points of the second half fell to the Villagers.

A loose kick from visitors just two minutes later allowed James Smith to break from within his own half and score a superb solo effort in the corner. With Cole’s successfully converting the game seemed to be slipping away from Porthcawl, the gap a now substantial 20 points at 29-9.

Dinas were now truly rampant and playing with tempo, confidence and flair. An absolutely sublime pass out of the back door from Mike Smith to older brother James drew a rousing cacophony of cheers and applause from the home spectators as James ran in his second. Nic Coles had found his rhythm and he added a further 2 points to the score line.

With five tries already in the bag, Dinas looked to control the game but to Porthcawl’s credit they persisted in pressurising the home team’s try line and with the penalty count mounting Morgan Williams was sinned binned for 10 minutes. Porthcawl took advantage of the extra man and managed to score their first try of the game, with Dinas’ Gary Ahmed being showed the yellow card in quick succession for failing to retreat 10 metres. Dinas were now down to 13 players and the score 36-16.

Despite being two players down Dinas continued to show enterprise and creatively in all facets of play. Comfortable with ball in hand the thirteen players managed the game effectively to prevent Porthcawl from taking further advantage. Shortly after Morgan returned to the field Porthcawl were reduced to 14 men as their open side flanker was dismissed for ten minutes. Nic Coles converted the penalty and the score moved to 39-16.

Dinas continued to besiege Porthcawl within their own half. In the final ten minutes of the match Dinas would score tries on a further two occasions. The first the result of a move between forwards and backs which saw the defending team drawn in field to create an overlap into which Duke Durham darted to cross to complete his brace of trys. Conversion missed the lead progressed to 44-16. Desperate for the magic 50 points the Dinas players showed merciless endeavour and determination. The final score came courtesy of prop Mike Jones who dived through the middle of a ruck on the try line to score under the posts in a fashion more akin with American Football. The easiest conversion of the afternoon despatched by Nic and the final score stood at 51-16.

After the match Mr Campbell presented the club with a trophy which was accepted on our behalf by current captain David Lloyd. Now in his late eighties, Mr Campbell has been associated with the club since the early 1950s when he captained the senior team for five consecutive years, a feat which has not been equalled since. It was for this achievement that he was presented the aforementioned trophy by his peers at the end of his tenure as captain. We are honoured to have been given this item of great sentimental value and it will take pride of place within our trophy cabinet.

The Villagers are back in action on Saturday, October 12 when they travel to Treharris for a 2.30pm kick off.

In other news our Youth team were also successful this Saturday as they defeated Bryncethin 25-7.

Authors : SW and MH