Fixture

The Old Firm recovered from their customary slow start to score 22 unanswered points and overcome Brecon in this Worthington Mid District Cup game at Duffryn Pennar Park.

The visitors made a dream start, outside half Jake Newman’s drop out right on the money for one of his forwards to catch and set up a ruck. The ball was passed to oncoming prop Iwan Dowling Jones who burst through the Mount defence and raced away to score under the posts with barely 20 seconds played. Newman converted to make it 7-0.

Some good work by Mount second row Daniel Phillips saw him come out of a maul and drive forward as the Old Firm looked to hit back. An ankle tap by centre Alex Hughes brought down a Brecon midfield player after he looked to have broken through near the Mount 22, but the visitors were awarded a penalty which they kicked to 5 metres out. After taking the lineout and attempting a couple of drives, the ball was moved to on-coming centre Eifion Jones who managed to touch down near the posts. Newman converted to make it 14-0 after just 10 minutes play.

The Old Firm’s first real attack of the game took the ball through several phases and up to 15 metres out from the visitors’ line, but an interception by a Brecon player saw him come away up to halfway when he kicked on into the Mount 22, but the Old Firm’s defence reorganised quickly and cleared the danger.

Some aimless kicking by Mount in open play in the middle of the field gave the ball away far too easily, but when the visitors tried to attack, they were met with a committed and determined home defence.

After full back Jarrod Cushion and centre Alex Hughes were involved in an attack which took play into the Brecon 22, the ball was moved wide against a stretched Brecon defence to second row Phillips on the 22 metre line. He showed good strength to break through a tackle and sprint into the corner to finish the move off and score Mount’s first try after 20 minutes. Outside half Callum Hall was just wide with the conversion from the touchline, leaving the score at 14-5 to the visitors.

After a slow start, the Old Firm were starting to dominate territory. Centre Jamie Long put in a crunching tackle on halfway as Brecon tried to attack. Another attack by the Old Firm and a grubber kick through close to the line led to a 5 metre Mount scrum. Scrum half Morgan Cartwright did well to clear up some untidy ball and after several drives were held up, second row Mitchell Barnard drove over near the posts for a try, Hall converting, to bring the Old Firm right back into the game trailing 14-12 after 28 minutes.

Brecon No.8 Ewan Williams made good ground for the visitors as they got into the Mount half for the first time for 20 minutes or so. A penalty 35 metres out in the middle of the field from Newman hit an upright, but it was the Old Firm who had the last say of the half with a break on halfway by outside half Hall who nearly got away but was tackled on the 22.

Mount went straight on the attack at the start of the second half. A quick penalty-take by scrum half Cartwright in the Brecon half and a pass to second row Barnard saw play taken into the visitors’ 22. A 15 metre penalty by Hall put the Old Firm 15-14 in front and then after play was taken into the Brecon 22 again, a dropped pass in midfield by the visitors saw Mount centre Jamie Long the first to react, gathering the ball 10 metres out, and although tackled on his way over the line, managing to touch down near the posts for Mount’s third try of the game. Wing Morgan James converted to make it 22-14 after an hour’s play.

The final quarter of the game saw the visitors try to hit back, displaying some excellent ball retention to mount several attacks. They were met with a determined and committed Mount defence which showed great resolve to keep tackling even though losing two players to yellow cards. Centre Hughes made another excellent ankle tap tackle, replacement second row Adam Parry made a strong run, flanker Dai Richards disrupted the Brecon lineout on a few occasions, and backrow forward Matthew Rees and Kriss Sanders were hard-working. It was also nice to see prop Geraint Lock return to action. The whole Mount team stepped up in defence when it was needed. There was no way through for the visitors, leaving Mount to progress into the quarter finals.

Both the 2^nd XV and Youth games were cancelled on Saturday. This week, Saturday 29 January, Rhiwbina visit Duffryn Pennar Park for a Division 1 East Central game, kick off 2:30pm, the 2^nd XV is away to Penallta 2^nd XV, and the Youth have yet to arrange a game.