Fixture

In a midweek floodlit game at Duffryn Pennar Park last week, the Old Firm moved into the quarter finals of the Worthington Mid District Cup by overturning Porth’s 22-10 lead at half time to score two converted tries and win 24-22. The game, though, will be remembered for a fracas that occurred between both sides in the second half which led to Mount wing Sean Williams leaving the field with a facial injury after a haymaker of a punch from behind by a Porth player led to him attending hospital where it was confirmed he had suffered a broken nose and a fractured cheek bone and eye socket.

From the kick off, the visitors were first on the attack and went in front after two minutes with a 15 metre penalty. Mount hit back minutes later when full back Will Holley counter attacked from a long kick into the Mount half, side stepping a Porth player and sprinting away down the touchline where he passed inside to second row David Richards who took the attack on and chipped over the last Porth defender and regathered the ball to take play into the visitors’ 22. Although tackled, the ball was quickly rucked and moved to outside half Declan Conway who sped through a gap in the Porth midfield to score under the posts. Holley converted to put Mount in front 7-3 after 7 minutes. Porth responded almost immediately and showed their capabilities in attack when a break by their wing was finished off with a try in the corner, well converted, to make it 10-7. The visitors were having the better of the territory and possession, and with Mount making too many handling errors, the Old Firm were forced to rely on scraps. An attack by the visitors was just stopped 5 metres out with try saving tackle, but Porth’s lead was increased further from the resulting 5 metre scrum when their Number 8 forced his way over for a converted try to make it 17-7 after 26 minutes. A midfield break by centre Alex Hughes was taken on by full back Holley to take play up to the Porth line where the visitors conceded a penalty which Holley kicked to make it 17-10. A chip over the Mount midfield near the Mount 22, which was taken by a Porth player, spelled danger for the Mount defence but an all embracing tackle and quick support from the home forwards earned the Old Firm a penalty. With time almost up, Mount took play up to the Porth 22 where a scrum saw the visitors scrum half go blind and leave the Mount defence for dead, chipping over full back Holley and eventually getting the touchdown to take Porth into half time 22-10 up.

Mount started with more intent at the start of the second half, a scissors between outside half Conway and centre Hughes seeing Hughes take play into the Porth 22. A penalty to the Old Firm was kicked to the corner and further pressure eventually saw Hughes score Mount’s second try in the corner from a quick penalty take, full back Holley converting superbly from the touchline to make it 22-17 after 45 minutes. A strong run by Number 8 Matthew Dixon took play into the Porth 22 as Mount upped the intensity. A lineout take by second row David Richards and a 20 metre text book driving maul by the Mount pack saw prop James Cowdry touch down midway out for his fifth try of the season, which Holley converted to put the Old Firm 24-22 up after 55 minutes. With almost an hour played, a disagreement between two players turned into a melee involving both teams, with the result that two players were eventually sent off and Mount wing Sean Williams was forced to leave the field after a reckless, needless punch from behind by a Porth player, and led to a player from both sides being sent off. The Mount scrum had the Porth pack in all sorts of trouble at a number of scrums in the last quarter and a 40 metre penalty after 66 minutes by Holley rebounded off an upright. Although there was no further scoring, the action was not quite over and with the last act of the game, after being awarded a penalty, an ill judged petulant punch from a Porth player led to a slap back from the Mount recipient with the result that both were sent off, and the penalty to Porth reversed. The ball was booted into touch leaving the Old Firm winners and ending an eventful evening of rugby.