Penarth 21 Pontyclun 32

PLAYED five, lost five. The Seasiders are still looking like a genuine threat, but are still failing to make their opponents work hard enough for their tries.

Pontyclun were playing with a strong wind at their backs making the first 40 minutes tough for Penarth, but they were eight points down in 12 minutes.

Running it out of their own 22, the ball was lost in contact sideways, leaving the visitors’ hooker to simply pick it up and dash 25 unimpeded metres to the corner.

There was a further blow on 25 minutes as Pontyclun chipped ahead down the touchline and as the pair of them arrived simultaneously, their right wing was adjudged to have won the foot race with Alex Fulton by the distant referee.

The Badgers continued to apply wind-assisted pressure for the remainder of the half, but the last word belonged to the Seasiders.

Having worked it up with a steady pick and drive game, they were awarded a penalty on the away 22m line.

Rhys Morgan tapped and went as usual, but this time it resulted in a fine try.

The captain made 15m before passing up to Kevin Maddox, who fed Chris Mortimer for a score under the posts.

Leading by only 11 points as they turned to face the wind, Pontyclun knew they needed an early score, but were doubtless delighted when it turned up inside a minute.

The long return from the kick-off was fielded by Penarth, but with a foot marginally in touch.

The line-out found the visitors’ number eight standing alone at the tail and he lost no time in getting his back line moving across the field where the right wing scored in the corner.

Having fallen 18 points behind, the Seasiders came back strongly.

A fine break by Tom Smith went unrewarded, but a penalty on half-way was driven into the away 22 by Morgan. Pontyclun did their level best to spoil, but Anthony Pine drove over to bring the margin back to 11 points.

At this point it all went wrong for Penarth as they lost Owen Thomas to the bin and replacements led to uncontested scrums.

The visitors broke from a ruck on half way and a horribly missed tackle allowed their outside centre clean through, with their full-back completing the score.

Facing an uphill struggle by this time, but with fifteen minutes remaining, the arrival of Spencer Robinson at scrum-half had introduced a good deal of urgency to the proceedings, but this would only bring the one try and no bonus points.

Possession from a scrum in the visitors’ 22 was worked to Rhys Beynon who took a short return pass before crashing over at the posts.

Just the one game before a welcome break, as the Seasiders visit sixth-placed Treharris on Saturday.

Penarth – Tom Smith, James Crothers (Ben Hill), Owain Lord, Rhys Beynon, Alex Fulton, Kevin Maddox, Rhys Morgan (Spencer Robinson), Richard Merrett (Shaun O’Sullivan), Liam Richards (Ryan Jones), Alan Doyle, Andy Lang, Anthony Pine (Owain George), Owen Thomas, Chris Mortimer, Alex Rigby

Scorers –Mortimer (T), Pine (T), Beynon (T), T Smith (3C)

Division 3 East Central A

Saturday 20th October 2018

Treharris Phoenix v Penarth

Treharris Park, 1 Forest Rd, Treharris CF46 5HF

Kick-off 2.30pm