Penarth lose out to Cambrian Welfare who escape relegation

The Seasiders have never been particularly comfortable with late-season catch-up rugby, and with the idea of promotion lost from the middle of March as Llanharan accelerated away, there was little riding on this final game of the season. 

For Penarth, that is. For Cambrian Welfare, it meant everything. The Clydach Vale side had looked doomed by the middle of January and were trailing 13 points, deep in the relegation zone. Games in hand, certainly, but they’d only won three games all season. We should have noticed: one of these was against Penarth.   

Anyway, they arrived at the Athletic Field having won three and lost three of their six previous games, and Barry, having completed their fixtures, were tantalisingly frozen three points above them. 

You might have expected blood and thunder from the visitors, but this never really materialised as a cautious first 40 minutes from both sides left the Seasiders 10-5 in the lead due to two brilliant individual tries from Cam Sultana and Spencer Robinson.

The second half began slowly as an unambitious Cambrian pulled back three points with a penalty, but then a classy angled run by the returning Chris Poole set up a try in the corner for Jimmy Crothers and Penarth looked set for a comfortable win.   

Chris Poole heads for the line on his return to Penarth's first team (Image: Alun Roach)

No-one could have predicted what would happen in the ensuing five minutes, but an outbreak of total confusion and bizarre errors in the Seasiders’ camp allowed a rapid-fire three tries the way of the visitors, turning a 15-8 lead into a 29-15 deficit.   

Was there any possible way back from this? Well, yes, there was, as it turned out. No one was having a bad game, and several players still had a classy look about them. Although they’d lost their earlier dominance in the scrum, Penarth steadied the ship and the Welfare didn’t register any further scores. With 20 minutes left, the hosts had taken their time but lacked any real intent. Then, with nine minutes to go, a tapped penalty in the visitors’ 22 led to a well-taken Chris Poole try and two minutes later Ben Jones tapped another and put Tom Luck in at the corner.       

All the momentum was now with the Seasiders, but with minutes apparently remaining, the referee called a halt to proceedings. Cue massive celebrations from the visiting players and supporters. Cambrian deserved their escape from relegation and who could argue as they’d done the double on Penarth to achieve it. Commiserations to Barry, who can’t have imagined they would be relegated so late in the season.    

The Seasiders have plenty to work towards for next season, having once again finished in fourth place, and their reputation for scoring tries was not spoiled by the five they ran in here.   

 Penarth: Luc Keane-Adams, Chris Poole, Tom Luck, Rhys Beynon, James Crothers, Spencer Robinson, Ifan Sion (Ben Jones), Sam Sully, Tom Griffiths (Mason Good), Alan Doyle (Iestyn Vagges), Dan Cahalane (Dom Owen), Will Odgers, Cam Sultana, Matt Allen, Ellis Smith.

Scorers: Cam Sultana (try), Spencer Robinson (try), Jimmy Crothers (try), Chris Poole (try, conversion), Tom Luck (try).