Fixture

It was a case of so near yet so far for the Young Firm in this hard fought ¼ final game in the Welsh Youth Cup at Caedrawnant. As the game drew to a close, with Cowbridge leading 14-11, Mount were camped on the visitors’ line but couldn’t get over from a couple of lineouts and scrums, as the visitors dug in, even though suffering two yellow cards. After breaking the stranglehold, a couple of penalties took play into the home 22, from where the visitors drove over in the corner for the winning score, which was well converted from the touchline. The score gave a misleading impression of the game and didn’t do justice to a fine effort from the Young Firm, who stood up physically to a bigger team throughout, and came back from being 9-6 down at half time and then 14-6 early in the second half. Mount got off to a good start, full back and Captain Jack Roberts kicking a 38 metre penalty in the opening minutes. Cowbridge had the majority of the ball in the first quarter and tried to take the Young Firm on up front and behind but committed defence by the Mount team kept them out. Three penalties took Cowbridge into a 9-3 lead, and then Mount’s best attack of the first half was started by scrum half Morgan Cartwright, who broke to the blindside of a maul to set up an attack which led to a couple of 5 metre scrums and also a neat diagonal chip from himself which stretched the Cowbridge defence. A penalty just before half time was converted by full back Roberts to make it 9-6 at the break. A crucial early try from close in after just 3 minutes of the second half extended the visitors’ lead to 14-6, but from then on, a spirited effort by the Young Firm brought them back into the game. From a maul near halfway, a well-placed chip to the blindside by scrum half Cartwright found space, which pacey wing Morgan James took full advantage of to race up the touchline, gather the ball and outpace the defence to run in from 20 metres out for a superb try. Roberts’ conversion was just short but at 14-11 down after 55 minutes, it was game on. Another chip over the top by Cartwright once again found the visitors’ defence wanting, wing James once again quickly through to kick on into the Cowbridge 22 with two other Mount players also in pursuit. Although the ball was secured by Cowbridge, a charge down clearance kick looked like a try for the Young Firm, but the referee awarded the visitors a penalty for them to clear. The pressure continued, Mount kicking a couple of penalties to touch 5 metres out instead of going for the posts. Despite several 5 metre lineouts followed by several scrums, and two yellow cards for the visitors, Cowbridge held out, and took play downfield, where they scored their second try of the match to clinch victory and a place in the semi-finals.