Fixture

The Old Firm, playing their first home game of the season, were always looking to attack for the 80 minutes of this game which was played in hot, sunny weather in front of a good turnout.

A text-book low tackle in midfield by No.8 Cameron Davies enthused the home support in the opening minutes, and then a half break by wing Morgan James and a pass was knocked down by the St Joseph’s wing who was yellow carded. He was one of four players to be yellow carded in the first half, two from each side.

Mount scored their first try after just 6 minutes when the ball was moved into midfield where No.8 Davies made a break and handed on to centre Alex Hughes, in space, who powered away from 15 metres out and pushed off a would-be tackler to touch down near the posts. Outside half Jayden Pugh converted to make it 7-0.

The score was doubled five minutes later when untidy ball at a St Jo’s lineout 15 metres out was seized on by flanker Jordan Burke who showed good strength to resist the tackling and score a try. Pugh again had no problem with the conversion to make it 14-0.

The visitors had missed one penalty kick from 25 metres and had a good bout of pressure in the Mount 22 after a well-placed kick took them to 5 metres out. The Old Firm defence was eager and committed all afternoon, competing for everything on the ground and tackling as low as possible to stay within the new rules.

Mount outside half Jayden Pugh was yellow carded for offside in midfield when intercepting a pass, and then from a scrum 25 metres out, the visitors got on the scoreboard with a penalty try to make it 14-7 after 29 minutes after the tackle by flanker Jordan Burke to stop their No.8 from scoring was deemed too high and he was yellow carded.

Mount went straight back on the attack, and after Cushion had made ground on the Stand side, the ball was moved wide where centre Hughes was high tackled 15 metres out and a St Jos’s player was also yellow carded. Wing Morgan James kicked the 15 metre penalty awarded to increase 13 man Mount’s lead to 17-7.

The visitors dropped out straight into touch, and from the scrum on halfway, outside Pugh, now back on, put in a well-placed delicate diagonal grubber kick into space. Full back Cushion and wing Cole Nash were up quickly and after Cushion beat the St Jo’s defender to the ball and kicked on, Nash got hold of the bouncing ball to run in under the posts for the Old Firm’s third try of the half, which Pugh converted to make it 24-7 at half time.

Mount got off to a flyer at the start of the second half, scoring two converted tries in the opening minutes. Cushion, flanker Daniel Phillips and hooker Kieran Coomer combined on halfway to put wing James away into the visitors’ 22, where he linked with Phillips again. A ruck and several drives later, and it was all-action flanker Phillips who got over for the bonus point try, Pugh converting to make it 31-7.

From the restart, St Jo’s turned the ball over but every time they passed it, there was a Mount player in quickly to make the tackle. On the third pass, in midfield, Cushion intercepted on halfway, and after juggling the ball, caught it, and with no one in front of him, he run 50 metres for a try, Pugh converting to make it 38-7.

St Jo’s were far from finished and tried to make ground and score tries, but they were met by a Mount defence that was determined to keep them out.

After 55 minutes, Cushion cut back inside in midfield, went through a couple of tackles and linked with wing James who scored in the corner to make it 43-7, Pugh’s conversion going just wide.

With the temperature at least 30 degrees, some of the bouts of play were lung-busting as both teams run at each other. With 10 minutes to play, another Mount attack was finished off by workhorse flanker Daniel Phillips who powered over near the posts, Pugh converting to make it 50-7.

St Joseph’s had the final word, though, as they kept going and a nice break by full back Sweetman saw him get to 10 metres out where he passed unselfishly to scrum half Fred Rowlands who scored wide out to make it 50-12.

The win put Mount into 2^nd place in the Division 1 East Central table. This Saturday, 16 September, the Old Firm play a local derby League game away to Ynysybwl. Kick off is 1:30pm due to the Wales v Portugal World Cup game kicking off at 4:45pm.