Fixture

For the second successive home game, the Old Firm scored five well-taken tries and defended well when they needed to, but were also lacklustre at times in this Division 1 East Central game at Duffryn Pennar Park. Although St Joseph’s had lost their first two games, they competed well throughout and contributed to an entertaining game, testing the resolve of the Mount defence at different times. Three penalties in quick succession, two of which were converted from 30 and 40 metres by full back Lee Marshall gave the visitors a 6-0 lead after just five minutes play. In the 12^th minute, the Old Firm launched their first attack after a St Jo’s knock-on in midfield in the Mount 22, outside half Jack Roberts kicking long up to the 22. Although wing Rhys Davies was quickly up to make a tackle, some composed play by the visitors cleared the ball to halfway. The Old Firm had been lethargic in the opening 15 minutes but started to come alive and ask questions of the St Jo’s defence. A penalty award 25 metres out was kicked by Roberts to make it 6-3, and then minutes later, a powerful run through midfield by prop Geraint Lock saw him slip the ball to a supporting player who drew the last man and gave to wing Rhys Davies who run in under the posts from 15 metres out for a well-constructed try which Roberts converted to put Mount 10-6 up. The visitors hit back and it took a 5 metre lineout take against the throw by flanker David Richards to clear the danger. Just before half time, both sides had their moments, with Mount centre Liam Jones being tackled 10 metres out and then St Jo’s No.8 Olly Young breaking out of his 22 and taking play to halfway where he kicked on, but the Old Firm defence coped with it coolly on their own 22.

The start of the second half saw pressure in the Mount 22 from St Jo’s with wing Daniel Cartwright making a crucial tackle on No.8 Young as he charged for the corner, and the Mount forwards quickly in to get a penalty which was cleared to the 10 metre line. A take and drive at the lineout made 15 metres for the Old Firm and after the ball was moved wide, a well-timed pass by centre Liam Jones put wing Rhys Davies in space for him to sprint away down the touchline and side step the full back to run in under the posts from 20 metres out for a fine individual try. Roberts converted to put Mount 17-6 up after 48 minutes. The Old Firm attacked again from the restart with the forwards making several drives and then centre Alex Hughes powering through in midfield and passing inside to flanker David Richards who was on his shoulder and who then drew the last defender and gave Hughes a clear run-in from 15 metres out for another well-taken try. Roberts’ conversion made the 24-6 but St Jo’s were far from finished and a crucial tackle on the home 22 stopped a likely looking try. On the hour, Mount scrum half Ross Davies came away with the ball on the Mount 10 metre line from a St Jo’s driving maul. Seeing space, he moved it wide quickly with centres Alex Hughes and Liam Jones putting full back Morgan James into space. A beautifully judged chip over the St Jo’s defence into space saw centre Jones first to the bouncing ball to get over from 15 metres out for Mount’s fourth try of the game, which gained a bonus point and took the lead up to 29-6. Play continued to be competitive and swing from end to end. After an injury to a St Jo’s forward saw play stopped for several minutes and a stretcher required, the visitors got over wide out for a try their efforts throughout the match had deserved. A barnstorming run by prop Geraint Lock, which saw him shrug off three or four would-be tacklers and take play to 10 metres out, resulted in a 5 metre scrum to the Old Firm after the Mount forwards had taken play on. A scissors between No.8 Kriss Sanders and Hughes saw the centre score his second try of the match with a touch down under the posts which Roberts converted to make it 36-11. That really should have been it but a dropped pass in midfield from the restart saw St Jo’s centre Michael Bendon, who was a strong runner for the visitors all afternoon, kick on from 20 metres out and win the race for the touchdown, full back Marshall converting to finalise the scoring. In the aftermatch presentation back at the clubhouse, the supporters' Man of the Match was flanker David Richards. The win puts Mount into joint 4^th place in the Division 1 East Central table, just two points behind second placed Cambrian Welfare and 5 points behind top of the table Glamorgan Wanderers. Next Saturday, the Old Firm travel to Dinas Powys for a Division 1 East Central game, kick off 2:30pm.