Fixture

Dinas Powys RFC | 1st Team 9 - 7 Mountain Ash RFC | 1st Team

Match Report
23 September 2018 / Team News

Late Penalty Denies Old Firm

A 25 metre penalty right on time denied Mount victory after a brave and valiant effort by the 20 players who wore the black and amber jersey of the Old Firm in persistent rain and windy conditions at Dinas Powys. The game was nip and tuck throughout with the home scrum getting on top after the first quarter but the Mount pack competing all over the park, never giving an inch, with the midfield defence and the tackling throughout the team solid. If anything, the Old Firm did not kick enough behind the home defence into space during the first half, and there was nearly 20 minutes on the clock when a first hoisted ball from scrum half Ross Davies caused problems for the home wing. With 25 minutes played, the Old Firm took play up to the home 22 with drives by a number of forwards including Matthew Dixon, Jarrod Parfitt, Jack James, Josh Davies and No.8 Kriss Sanders, which eventually took play to 5 metres out, but strong defending by Dinas Powys cleared the ball. Although Mount had a player yellow carded at the end of the first half, the home team could not take advantage, with Mount taking the game to Dinas Powys straight after half time with an attack which took the ball through several phases, with both forwards and backs handling impressively in the wet and windy conditions. Replacement second row David Richards took several excellent catches in difficult conditions in the lineout during the second half and put the home throw-in under pressure. Although against the wind, the Old Firm were well in contention. A penalty to Dinas Powys from a scrum on the Mount 22 was kicked to put the home team 3-0 up after 62 minutes. Five minutes later, some over-vigorous rucking by the home team was initially penalised by the referee near halfway but then reversed after a home player was driven back at the same breakdown. A well-judged penalty kick from 45 metres out, 10 metres in from the touchline, put the home team 6-0 up after 67 minutes. The Old Firm responded in superb fashion by starting an attack and driving into the Dinas Powys 22 in the face of a gale force wind. A penalty was kicked to touch 5 metres out, and after a take and drive by the Mount pack, scrum half Ross Davies showed good strength to break through the close-in defence to score the only try of the game. It was a deserved first score for the Old Firm after their tenacious play throughout the game. Kicking had been far from easy in the swirling wind, but a superbly judged conversion by outside half Liam Jones put Mount 7-6 up with 73 minutes on the clock. After play hovered around the Old Firm’s 22 for a couple of minutes after the restart, a penalty to Mount gave the Old Firm the chance to get the ball off the pitch and take the throw-in to the lineout. It never happened, as the penalty was held up in the wind and the home team started an attack, which took play back into the Mount 22 where a penalty was awarded at a scrum midway out just inside the Mount 22. The kick was delayed several minutes after an injury to Old Firm second row Jonathan Lewis, who injured his shoulder and groggily had to leave the field for a minute or two. Home wing Williams composed himself and slotted over the 25 metre penalty to put his team 9-7 in front with the game going into injury time. The Old Firm were still not finished and launched a last-ditch attack from a scrum on halfway which took play up to the Dinas Powys 22, but a turnover and a kick to touch sealed victory for a relieved home team.

What a courageous performance this was by a young Mount team which put together some good passages of play in wet, windy conditions, with the handling very good. Maybe a bit more kicking into space in the first half and quick following up would have mixed things up even more and been more effective in the difficult conditions. Overall, the team is going in the right direction and playing some good rugby, asking questions of teams right across the park. Next up for the Old Firm is a trip to Division 2 East Central table toppers St Peter’s this Saturday, 29 September, in the 1st round of the SWALEC Plate, kick off is 2:30pm.

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