Barry RFC 33 v Dinas Powys RFC 32

DINAS Powys outscored their hosts by four tries to three but still managed to lose the match with poor discipline conceding four kickable penalties that allowed the hosts to grab an unlikely victory.

The Dinas Powys Villagers were trailing by 23-10 at half-time but fought back gamely to lead 30-32 in the final minute, before being penalised for a high tackle that allowed Barry to snatch a late victory.

The pleasant temperature and hazy sunshine was replaced dramatically in the final minutes as torrential rain drenched a large passionate crowd, resulting in all but the most ardent of fans seeking shelter.

The Villagers responded to two early Barry penalties with a penalty of their own and a stunning individual try by fly half Adam Williams. Barry soon regained the lead as Dinas Powys conceded a penalty deep in Barry territory, quick thinking by the Barry fly half saw a long kick downfield chased the home right wing who regathered and scored under the posts.

The home side extended the lead as the ball shot out from the tunnel in a scrum, the match official allowed play to continue and the Barry open side picked up the loose ball and fed the home fly half to cross for a try.

The first half ended with the Villagers pressing hard, squandering chances and thereby failing to reduce the deficit.

The Villagers started the second half strongly and after five minutes saw full back John Morris cross in the left corner following fine interplay between centre Sam Middlemiss and Adam Williams. The Barry lead was reduced 23-17 as Morris converted his own try and with only 15 minutes of the second half played a thrilling contest was unfolding in front of the large partisan crowd.

The restart was gathered by left wing Duke Durham, he ran strongly out of defence and the Villagers will feel aggrieved that his tackler did not roll away after the tackle and Barry were able to gather the ball and release their outside centre to cross for a try that was converted that extended the lead to 30-17.

Dinas Powys then increased their effort and started to dominate the contest, second row Gareth Williams crashed over for a try following a quickly taken tap penalty. The conceding of penalties close to the tryline was now commonplace and several final warnings were issued to to the home side.

The Villagers were rampant and fine play by the threequarters freed replacement right wing Mark Goode to crash over for a try that advanced the score to 30-29.

The conversion from the touchline went wide, but a few minutes later Morris kicked a penalty that gave the Villagers a 30-32 lead and victory seemed to have been gained. The weather took a turn for the worst as raindrops the size of marbles drenched the combatants, the Dinas defence was robust and there seemed no way through for the home side, when the referee spotted a close contact high tackle and awarded a penalty that gifted victory to the home side.

The Dinas Powys Dingoes (2nd team) play St Josephs in the final of the Mallet cup at Cardiff Arms Park on Friday, May 14 with kick-off at 7.15pm, a coach will leave the club at 5.15pm.