Penarth RFC's 29-15 loss sees them drop to third in league

The Seasiders arrived at a chilly Dairy Field with a strong line-up, looking for a rare win there, but were ultimately second best on the day. The effort put in over 80 hard-fought minutes perhaps deserved better, but the error rate was high and they simply couldn’t match Llanharan’s four well-taken tries.    

As is often the case, an early lead by a Rhys Mottram penalty was illusory and the Dairymen hit back almost immediately with a well-crafted try. A slick three-quarter move was finished in style as their full-back entered the line and scored behind the posts. [7-3] 

The home back division was in imperious form in the first twenty minutes as they eased into a [14-3] lead with a second try, then extended it with a penalty. The Seasiders were working hard, but nothing seemed to come off, but at least they were countering the flow of points from the opposition.        

There were no further scores until five minutes before the break and, lacking field position it was hard to tell where the next score was going to come from. Then came one of those Spencer Robinson moments as the scrum-half launched himself though a gap on the home 10m line and took a diagonal course to the posts. Hauled down a couple of metres out, the damage was already done and it simply remained for Rhys Beynon to slalom past three defenders and score. [17-10] 

With the prospect of turning the game around in the remaining minutes before half-time, Penarth piled the pressure on, but failed to add to the score.        

The second half began in a niggly atmosphere, Llanharan had realised that Penarth were still very much in the game and altered their approach significantly. A fracas on the visitors’ 22 line resulted in a player from each side receiving a yellow card. Penalty awarded to the Dairymen and a well-executed catch-and-drive from the line-out was finished off with a classic hooker’s try. [22-10]

Back came the Seasiders, phase after phase in the Llanharan 22, but the scoring pass was adjudged forward! Next it was the home side’s turn to recycle their second-half strategy, driving another line-out into the Penarth 22. Having exhausted their forward efforts to score through a spirited defence, the backs swiftly moved it wide for a score in the corner. [29-10]

With 15 minutes remaining, the Seasiders set about trying to reduce the 19-point gap and spent lengthy periods in the Llanharan half. Lots of possession, but also too many handling errors and no further score until the final minutes. The Dairymen weren’t resting on their laurels either and their frantic defensive efforts cost them successive yellow cards as they kept Penarth out.

Reduced to 13 men by this time, they were unable to hold out the waves of attacks from the Seasiders and it was Man-of-the-Match Owen Lloyd who finally crashed over for the consolation try [29-15]

With the Six Nations this coming Saturday as Wales host Scotland, the next Penarth game will be the following Saturday, at home against Llanishen.

Penarth: Ben Jones, Harry Williams, Andy Richards (Josh Marshall), Rhys Beynon, James Candy, Rhys Mottram, Spencer Robinson, Geraint Williams (Harry Jones), Tom Griffiths (Mason Good), Sam Sully, Dan Cahalane (Matt Allen), Will Odgers, Cam Sultana, Owen Lloyd, Alex Thau.

Scorers: Rhys Beynon (try), Own Lloyd (try) Rhys Mottram (1 conversion, 1 penalty)