Fixture

Mountain Ash RFC | 1st Team 12 - 7 Dinas Powys RFC | 1st Team

Match Report
30 April 2018 / Team News

Mount Grind Out Win

Flanker Chris Edmunds, who played in his 357th game for Mountain Ash 1st XV on Saturday and was playing his last 1st XV game for the Old Firm, led the Mount team onto the field to great applause from the home support. For the first quarter of this game, the Old Firm were well on top and looked as if they would win easily enough. A lineout take by flanker David Richards 15 metres out was driven on to the Dinas Powys line where a short pass to Jarrod Parfitt from a ruck saw the second row take the ball on the run and drive over for the first try of the day. Mount had several chances in the first quarter but failed to capitalise on each of them due to a lack of support and inaccurate play. A sustained attack from halfway up to 15 metres out saw Dinas concede a penalty. Although an easy three points was on offer, a kick to the corner resulted. A couple of catch and drives, and then a scrum, ended with a penalty try as the ball was illegally kicked by the visitors. With the Old Firm well on top and 12-0 in front, a win and a bonus point looked on the cards, but it never materialised. The visitors put their first attack together after 23 minutes and threatened the Mount line but a knock-on stopped the move. A strong run by Alex Hughes, brushing off a number of would-be tacklers, saw the centre get up to the Dinas 22 with a clear run in for the man outside was on, but his pass was dropped. Dinas Powys started to get into the game and looked a capable side when they moved the ball, testing the Mount defence. Just before half time, flanker David Richards showed his energy and appetite for the game with a remarkable number of tackles in a ten second burst as each Dinas Powys player with the ball was stopped in his tracks. Right on half time, a kick at goal from a penalty 35 metres out was turned down for a kick to the corner, and although the Old Firm put tremendous pressure on the Dinas defence, it held and half time was called.

Mount took play into the Dinas 22 early in the second half but an interception by the visitors gave them some respite. The game was turned on its head minutes later as a break out wide by the visitors’ centre saw him put speedy wing Jim Wiltshire away and he needed no second invitation and run in for a try which outside half Ben White converted to make it 12-7 after 48 minutes. A dust up between the forwards resulted in a 30 metre penalty for Dinas, but it was hit wide. On the hour, centre Kieron Davies and hooker Liam Attwell were involved in a move which took play to 5 metres out from the visitors’ line, but frustratingly, a comment to the referee saw Dinas awarded a penalty and the ball cleared. The Old Firm were then reduced to 14 when a forward was yellow carded for kicking the ball out of a ruck but Dinas were unable to take advantage. A grubber kick through the Mount midfield into the 22 after 68 minutes was well dealt with by Youth player Cory Roberts, who replaced another Youth player, Iwan Pearson, who was injured in the first half. The last 10 minutes were a stalemate, just like the rest of the game was after the first quarter, leaving the Old Firm with 4 points for the win, which takes them up to 5th place on 49 points, with just one league game to play, on Saturday 12 May, away to Rumney.

This Thursday, 3 May, in Penygraig, Mount play Treorchy in the semi-final of the Worthington Mid District Cup, kick off 7:15pm. On Saturday, 5 May, the Welsh Academicals will be the opposition at Duffryn Pennar Park, kick off 2:30pm, in a game which celebrates the 90th anniversary of the formation of the Academicals, which was a club formed in Mountain Ash in 1927. The Old Firm will have Italian International scrum half, Paul Griffen, guesting for them and he will also take a junior coaching session prior to kick off. The game is also a fund raiser for former Welsh International Paul Knight who has multiple sclerosis, and Scottish International Doddie Weir, who has motor neurone disease. Admission is £3 for adults, £2 for senior citizens, with all children under 16 admitted free if they are accompanied by an adult. All support welcome.

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