Penarth 9 v Dinas Powys 8

FOR the Seasiders’ third local derby in as many weeks, the outlook wasn’t entirely promising. Despite heavy rain for two hours and pooling in parts of the pitch, both sides and referee Ben Porte from Bristol agreed the game should go ahead.

Surprisingly, the game opened with a try, as the Villagers returned the kick-off with interest and some slick handling saw outside half Ben White over in the corner. Thankfully, common sense soon re-established its grip on proceedings and the game settled down into a grim mud-spattered struggle: one for the connoisseurs.

The next score came from a passage of play that typified the way the contest was conducted. As Dinas tried to neutralise the slight edge that Penarth had in the scrum by trying to steal a march, as collapsed scrum allowed James Docherty to make amends for an earlier miss by converting a penalty from 22 metres.

Ball handling by both sides hit new depths of ineptitude as the rain fell and although the visitors always looked sharper in the back division, this was the forwards’ day and the hosts consistently threatened, only for the slippery ball to frustrate any attempts to force a score.

A fresh tactic finally pushed the Seasiders into the lead on the half hour as they drove a scrum jus over half-way and the retreating Villagers’ pack conceded a penalty. Docherty coolly converted from 40 metres for a 6 - 5 lead, only for White to reply for Dinas six minutes later and his side went into half-time two points to the good.

As the rain eased in the second half, White took the Johnny Sexton role of the Villagers and pinned the Seasiders back in their own half for long periods. Penarth also tried to vary things by keeping the ball in hand and one of the Dinas backs was adjudged to have committed a deliberate knock-on to foil such an attack and departed with a yellow card. This was the visitors’ second sending off of the proceedings and made a serious dent in their ability to maintain their narrow lead.

The game eventually turned on a Penarth substitution after 50 minutes, as veteran loose head Richard Merrett arrived to terrorise the Dinas front row. The game was never really the same afterwards and moved inexorably in the direction of a home win.

Nathan Smith tapped a quick penalty and was stopped in a dubious fashion just short of the line, then two collapsed five metre scrums failed to result in a penalty try. A third scrum was eventually completed, but as the ball was spun wide and the Villagers’ last-ditch defence prevented a score, they nevertheless conceded a penalty which Docherty slotted over with 15 minutes remaining.

Desperate Dinas, probably feeling that a one point lead was indefensible, threw everything into a short passing game which inevitably fell apart as they lost the ball in the tackle. However, fortune smiled on them with minutes remaining as they gained a mystery penalty, 40 metres out and at an angle. As the world held its breath, even White’s previously impeccable kicking couldn’t save his side and the attempt drifted wide.

Penarth’s win hoisted them back up to fourth place in the division and they must now wait a fortnight for their next game which will be against Clwb Rygbi Cymry Caerdydd at Llandaff Fields on Saturday, January 23, kick-off at 2.30pm.

Penarth: James Docherty, Huw Elias, Adam Lewis, Tom Luck, James Crothers, Nathan Smith, Gareth Matthias, Jerome Bryan (Richard Merrett), Mason Good, Sean O’Sullivan, Scot Mackie, Stuart Clarke (Owain James), Alex Thau (Matt Sutton), Matt Allen, Elliott Smith.

Scorers: James Docherty (three penalties).

Swalec League Division 2 (East Central)

Saturday, January 9

P W D L F A Pts

1 Porth Harlequins 11 11 0 0 291 135 48

2 Barry 12 9 0 3 256 178 40

3 Llantrisant 11 8 1 2 265 204 39

4 PENARTH 13 8 0 5 228 212 36

5 St Peters 11 6 2 3 279 209 36

6 Dowlais 10 6 0 4 305 133 33

7 Dinas Powys 12 4 3 5 234 192 29

8 Abercynon 14 4 0 10 249 325 22

9 CRC Caerdydd 9 2 0 7 162 214 13

10 Gwernyfed 11 2 0 10 160 231 12

11 Pontyclun 9 2 0 7 112 227 9

12 Treherbert 11 2 0 9 117 383 8