Fixture

A gutsy, spirited performance by the Old Firm secured a valuable losing bonus point in this hard-fought game on a heavy pitch in Treorchy, where the majority of the game was played between the two 22 metre lines, with the defences on both sides on top for the most part. During the 80 minutes, there was a different approach by these old rivals, Treorchy preferring an open game whereas the Old Firm kept the ball tight for the most part.

Mount nearly had the perfect start when they were awarded a 25 metre penalty in midfield but it was hit wide. Second row David Richards disrupted a Treorchy lineout on the home 22 which the Old Firm took advantage of to take the ball through several phases and nearly break through, but a knock-on just 5 metres out gave the home team a scrum from which they cleared. A failure to follow up quickly enough after a long kick up to the Treorchy 22 saw home full back Jacob Lloyd, who was a sharp, elusive attacker for the Zebras, take full advantage to run into space and then chip into the Mount 22. Full back Jack Roberts did well to turn, pick up and put in a good clearance kick. After half hour, another lineout take by Richards for Mount was moved into midfield where centre Hughes came onto the ball at pace, running right through the Treorchy midfield to leave the defence for dead, but a good scoring opportunity was missed when his inside pass was judged forward. Pressure from the Mount forwards at the scrum yielded a penalty but Holley could not convert it from 30 metres out as kicking proved difficult for both kickers. A long kick out of defence straight into touch gave Treorchy a lineout on the Old Firm’s 22. From it, they took the ball through a number of phases, spreading the ball to both sides of the field but getting nowhere against a committed Mount defence. A neat grubber-kick behind the Mount midfield on the narrow side was quickly followed up down the touchline by speedy full back Lloyd, who delicately kicked on over the try line and just touched down near the dead-ball line for a well taken unconverted try to put Treorchy 5-0 up after 37 minutes. The Old Firm responded in great style. After Treorchy cleared the ball from the restart to the Mount 10 metre line, a two handed lineout take by Richards saw the Mount forwards set up a driving maul which covered 40 metres in total and ended with loosehead prop James Cowdry  being driven over for a remarkable try near the touchline. As well as the try bringing Mount level at 5-5, an Old Firm forward was yellow carded for a comment made to the referee after the score which resulted in Mount ending the first half and starting the second with 14 men.

With a man advantage, Treorchy went straight on the attack after the turnround. A dropped pass by the home wing saw a chance missed and then the 7 man Mount scrum was pushed off the ball which eventually resulted in a 15 metre penalty to the home team, outside half Jordan Lloyd converting it to put Treorchy 8-5 up after 45 minutes. Some good drives by Mount, in which centre Alex Hughes, prop James Cowdry and scrum half Ross Davies featured, took play into the Treorchy 22, but a turnover was quickly moved to sharp-as-a tack full back Jacob Lloyd, who was in space and he sprinted away and run fully 75 metres unopposed to score under the posts, outside half Jordan Lloyd converting to put Treorchy firmly in the driving seat at 15-5 up against 14 man Mount after 49 minutes. The Old Firm’s response was admirable. A penalty quickly taken by scrum half Davies took play into the home 22, where another penalty was kicked to 5 metres out. Although Treorchy stopped the drive and were awarded the put-in to the scrum, a tremendous shove by the Mount pack – now back to 8 forwards – saw the home scrum shunted backwards, and after being awarded the put-in, the Mount pack nudged Treorchy back with a controlled drive at the scrum for scrum half Ross Davies to get the touchdown to great delight to bring Mount back into the game at 15-10 down after 56 minutes. Another yellow card, this time for not using two hands to tackle safely, saw Mount once again reduced to 14 men, but they continued to play with great spirit and continued harrying the home team when they had the ball, centre Kieron Davies showing plenty of desire to get to a loose ball near halfway, supported by second row Richards, as Mount dug in and competed for every ball. Inch by inch, the Old Firm nudged forward, constantly testing Treorchy’s close-in defence. With 15 minutes of normal time to play, a gilt-edged scoring opportunity was created by the home team when a scissors in midfield near the home 22 saw a Treorchy centre sprint away from the defence, but superb covering by replacement Number 8 Jarrod Morgan intercepted the scoring pass, knocking the ball back over the Mount line, for a 5 metre scrum to the Zebras. A penalty followed for the home team, which was taken quickly, but a loose pass was kicked clear by Mount. Another penalty came the way of the home team, this time from 35 metres out and straight, but outside Lloyd hit it wide. The final minutes saw both sides sticking to their game plan, Treorchy looking to play a more open game and Mount keeping the ball tight and trying to drive through from close in. A long kick by the home team in the dying minutes saw Mount full back Roberts under pressure but a high kick out of defence and quick following up saw him catch the ball and save a dangerous situation. The final couple of minutes belonged to the Mount forwards in and around the Treorchy 22, and although numerous drives were attempted from close-in, the Treorchy defence held firm for a hard fought, but sporting game, to come to an end with the Old Firm gaining a losing bonus point despite playing a quarter of the game with 14 men.