THE OUTCOME of Saturday’s gripping encounter against St. Peters club that concluded the 2016-17 season has certainly answered the many questions Penarth supporters have been asking about the Seasiders’ genuine potential and aspirations.

The thrilling win by one point in a ten-try epic on the whistle tells volumes about the masked proficiency of this disconcerting team.

It was Penarth RFC at its enigmatic best: resourceful and spirited, immature and durable.

An incomprehensible lack of consistency combined with a certain cavalier attitude as well as a sizeable number of casualties have disrupted the final stages of the Seasiders campaign, who suddenly found themselves engaged in what head coach Matt Bolton described during the week before the match as a "mathematical chance of relegation."

To remind the reader what the Second Division East Central table looked like before Saturday’s encounter is suffice to say that with 65 Championship points from 21 matches, St Peters RFC sat comfortably third in the league table, after Dinas Powys and Llantrisant who had secured promotion to Division One East Central, while Penarth, after three consecutive defeats at the hands of Clwb Rugbi Cymry Caerdydd (38-7), Gilfach Goch (34-25) and Barry (32-8) during the previous weeks, were ninth in the table, with 41 points, engaged in the relegation battle with Pontyclun and Abercynon.

To make the matter worse, Abercynon in an upsurge of form and fortune, managed to collect ten championship points in only two encounters, 42-18 against the Old Illtydians and a perplexing 31-0 against Aberdare, which with a match in hand and five points behind Penarth, made the Seasiders realise the magnitude of the challenge.

Similarly Pontyclun, defeated 34-11 by Penarth at the end of March, managed to beat St Peters 32-11 three weeks ago, which added to the relegation puzzle. Though in a hectic and dramatic end of season battle for survival in Division Two East Central anything seemed possible on Saturday morning, by now, everything is settled, with Penarth adding five Championship points to their treasure trove of 41, and Pontyclun on their way to Division three, after their 23-22 defeat at the hands of Abercynon.

For Penarth this was the second match against "The Rocks” this season.

The Seasiders had won the first clash last October by 17 points to 11 and there was a faint hope that a strong, dynamic and disciplined performance would enable them to duplicate the autumn win and help the club restore its credibility, which meant not only wining, but also playing well.

And although nobody could predict the dramatic outcome of his clash, this was exactly what happened on Saturday afternoon at the Athletic Field, after a remarkable week of frantic preparations.

Firstly, the attendance to training went up considerably.

Then two of the injured players, Harry Roberts and Scott Mackie, though not fully recovered, made themselves available for Saturday, forming together with Alex Thau (and then after he was replaced) by Mike Clare an effective and resourceful back-row.

Their commanding performance against St Peters was based though on an almighty proficient effort of the front five, spearheaded by the front row of Alan Doyle, Peter Lloyd and Sean O’Sullivan, with Matt Allen and Owen Thomas in the second row.

Allen and Thomas, and then Aaron Ellis, who replaced the latter, creating havoc with his rampaging runs, played their part in this scrummaging masterclass, which was the key to this absorbing encounter.

Young tight-head prop Doyle, who has made more appearances this season (26) than any other Penarth player has been a tower of strength in the tight, not to mention his storming runs with the ball in hand, in the loose.

On the other side of the scrum the dean of Penarth forwards, Sean O’Sullivan, at 43 the senior member of the pack reigned supreme.

And then, when he was replaced by old warrior Richard Merrett, the pain inflicted on the Rocks pack grew from bad to worse, which eventually led to uncontested scrums - a dubious decision for all watching the match.

To a large extent the mounting injury toll and unavailability of players dictated the shape of selection and the style of play.

As the injured ribs of regular Penarth hooker Mason Good failed to respond to treatment and with James Docherty abroad, Penarth had to look for a substitute elsewhere.

Coach Bolton drafted in on permit from Glamorgan Wanderers, his former Saint Cyres pupil Peter Lloyd, who had a storming game.

At outside half, with Nathan Smith permanently grounded with a damaged shoulder and Huw Elias side-lined with a leg injury the club approached outside-half Adam Lewis of Ystrad Rhondda - who had finished their matches this season - to play for his former club on permit.

Lewis, who left Penarth after Christmas to join the Rhondda valley club, produced a “Man of the Match” performance, scoring three tries in the process.

Starting with a running outside half and without a recognised kicker, the Seasiders had to say it with tries, while making it sure they were scored within kickable distance from the posts.

This is what they did, enabling dominant scrum-half Rhys Morgan, who had an notable all-around game, to land three conversions.

Inspired by the forwards, the backs, coached by John Colderly, fought valiantly to contain the fast running St Peters backs orchestrated by young Ben Thomas, a future Cardiff Blues outside half.

The thundering tackles of both centres skipper Tom Luck and Chris Mortimer had to be seen to be believed, while the back three Jim Crothers, James Thatcher and New Zealand-born Mitch Hickey, were hugely influential.

Thatcher left his final piece of magic for the dying seconds of the game.

With the Rocks leading by two points and the Seasiders frantically battering their line in search of the winning score, a penalty was awarded by referee Gareth Butler in the close proximity of the St Peters posts.

In the absence of Rhys Morgan, already replaced by the talented Owen Rees, in his first year of senior rugby, there was literally no one left to kick at goal. Thatcher stepped up and coolly took the kick at goal, as if he had done that all afternoon.

He landed the winning kick as the referee blew the end.

"Unbelievable today boys; Fantastic performance! which showed how much we wanted it and what we were capable of," said captain Tom Luck.

"The want was there," confirmed coach Bolton.

Penarth Team: Mitch Hickey, James Thatcher, Tom Luck (captain), Chris Mortimer, James Crothers, Adam Lewis, Rhys Morgan, (Owen Rees) Alex Thau, (Mike Clare) Harry Roberts, Scott Mackie, Matt Allen, Owen Thomas (Aaron Ellis), Alan Doyle, Peter Lloyd, Sean O’Sullivan (Richard Merrett)

Scorers: Tries A Lewis (3) A.Thau (2), Cons R.Morgan (3) Pg J Thatcher