Pontyclun RFC 13

Penarth RFC 34

AFTER recent near-misses against top-of-the table opposition, the Penarth 'Seasiders' were looking for someone they could run up a few tries against and it turned out to be old favourites Pontyclun.

Having eased past their Ely Valley rivals 18 - 12 at the earlier home fixture and with the hosts lurking only four points behind, there was plenty to play for.

The writing was on the wall for Pontyclun from the first scrum in the second minute. Their back row came unstuck and James Docherty converted the penalty from 42 metres.

The home team deployed their usual game plan from the restart and gained immediate reward as they drove at a retreating Penarth defence, gaining a penalty in the corner from which Nicky Theaker kicked the equalising points.

The Seasiders continued to dominate in the tight while the Pontyclun 'Badgers' struggled with their throwing-in, but it was nevertheless the lively hosts who surged into the lead seven minutes later.

Having dug the ball out of a retreating scrum, two poor tackles allowed centre Joe Williams through the middle and scrum half Rhys Morgan went over under the posts.

Penarth came back strongly and drew level at the end of the first quarter. A catch-and-drive in the Pontyclun 22 was halted by a knock-on, but the visitors’ scrum was irresistible as they shunted the hosts back over their own line for an Elliott Smith try.

No additional score in the second quarter, so the sides turned round all square at 10 - 10.

Despite being rather obviously the better side, the Seasiders struggled to hold their game together at the start of the second half and it was the Badgers who again edged back in front with a penalty in the 46th minute.

Luckily this was as good as it got for them and the rest of the game belonged to Penarth.

The backs were starting to put some moves together, but the next score came as a drive from a scrum was halted with flanker Harry Roberts picking up and crossing on the corner. The Seasiders scored again straight from the restart. Roberts drove the drop-out back upfield and, several phases later, finished the move himself with a well-sold dummy.

The next restart didn’t turn out any better for the Badgers, as the Seasiders’ back division put together a wonderfully slick handling move and Rhys Morgan ran around behind the posts for the bonus point.

Not content with this, the backs embarked on yet another flowing move and Nathan Palmer touched down in the corner only for the referee to disallow the score.

Unfortunately for Pontyclun, this merely gave them the put-in to a five metre scrum and the Penarth pack simply walked all over them for Elliott Smith’s second try.

Having made themselves comfortable in seventh place, the Seasiders return to the Athletic Field next Saturday, where the visitors will be Clwb Rygbi Cymry Caerdydd (kick-off 2.30pm).

Clwb are having a torrid time in the league this season and still have the threat of relegation hanging over them.

A close game at Llandaff Fields back at the end of November was settled 25 - 24 in Penarth’s favour by a late Aaron Ellis try.

Penarth: James Candy, James Docherty, Tom Luck (C) (Tom Hillman), Chris Mortimer (James Thatcher), James Crothers (Nathan Palmer), Mitch Hickey, Rhys Morgan, Sean O’Sullivan, Mason Good, Alan Doyle, Aaron Ellis, Matt Allan, Scott Mackie, Elliott Smith, Harry Roberts

Scorers: Elliott Smith (2 tries), Harry Roberts (2 tries), Rhys Morgan (try), James Docherty (penalty, 3 conversions)

National League Division 2 (East Central)

P W D L F A Pts

1 Dinas Powys 18 14 0 4 525 259 70

2 Llantrisant 18 14 0 4 481 313 67

3 St Peters 18 13 0 5 467 288 61

4 Aberdare 18 10 1 7 434 362 53

5 Barry 17 10 0 7 367 308 47

6 Gilfach Goch 18 8 0 10 347 340 42

7 PENARTH 18 8 1 9 346 403 41

8 Llanishen 16 7 1 8 318 370 36

9 Pontyclun 18 6 1 11 300 435 32

10 CRC Caerdydd 18 5 1 12 385 499 29

11 Abercynon 17 4 1 12 256 392 26

12 Old Illtydians 18 4 0 14 287 472 25