Fixture

Treorchy had use of a very strong wind in the first half of this Division 1 East Central game at The Oval. The Old Firm got off to the worst possible start when a take from the kick off followed by a couple of drives saw the ball passed straight to a home threequarter who run in under the posts unopposed from 20 metres out. The conversion made it 7-0 after barely a minute’s play.
The hosts had another good opportunity from the restart when they broke through again, but a wayward pass on the Mount 22 saw nothing come of it.
The Old Firm settled down and did well throughout the half, patiently driving forward and making some hard yards.
A long kick from the Treorchy half bounced over the dead ball line, with Mount supporters expecting a scrum back. Surprisingly, the referee awarded Treorchy a 5 metre scrum in front of the posts. Three scrums took place with the Mount pack digging in and not giving an inch, and then being awarded a penalty which was kicked to touch.
Treorchy’s forwards were picking up and driving at Mount in the Old Firm’s 22, but could not get over the line. A penalty award to the home team increased their lead to 10-0 after 37 minutes.
Mount finished the half on a high. A first attack saw hooker Jarrad Parfitt break away from a ruck on the Treorchy 22 and run strongly to the home line, just being brought down 5 metres out. Scrum half Ross Davies was quickly up in support and tried to snipe over but he was also tackled a metre out. The Old Firm were not to be denied and a break by wing Jarrod Cushion saw the wing get a pass out to second row Daniel Phillips near the Treorchy 22 and he sprinted in to the corner for a vital try against the wind to make it 10-5 to Treorchy at half time.
An early attack in the second half by Treorchy into the Mount half was stopped with a good tackle by wing Cushion. The home team got a penalty which was converted from 25 metres out to go 13-5 up. Within five minutes, Mount reduced the arrears to five points again with a well-struck penalty from 40 metres out by outside half Callum Hall to make it 13-8.
The game was hard-fought and competitive, with each side cancelling the other out. The Old Firm’s defence was committed. 
With 63 minutes gone, a ruck was formed on halfway from broken play. There was only 5 metres to the touchline, but a lack of cover there was exploited by Treorchy and a long kick ahead saw the home wing win the race for the ball and go over for a crucial try, which was also converted, to make it 20 points to 8.
Some of the Mount defence was excellent as Treorchy looked for another score and threw the ball from one side of the pitch to the other.
With the game in the final ten minutes, a kick over the top of the Treorchy defence caused confusion, with two Treorchy players colliding and Mount wing Cushion catching the spilt ball and running in unopposed from 50 metres for a try under the posts, which Hall converted, to make it 20-15 and give Mount a chance.
From the restart, another kick over the Treorchy defence, this time by flanker Dai Richards, caused confusion, and he followed up quickly and hacked the ball on, getting to the ball first and being tackled just 5 metres out amid great excitement. A Treorchy defender and wing Jarrod Cushion competed for the ball on the ground and after other players from both sides arrived, the referee awarded a penalty to Treorchy to the relief of the home support.
The game had really opened up and from a run out of their 22, Treorchy created an overlap and from it put together an attack which went into the Mount 22. Really committed defence by the Old Firm and some desperate tackles stopped the home team, but a slip pass to a supporting backrow forward saw him score in the corner to seal the game for the home team, 25-15.