Fixture

This was a arm-wrestle of a game at a bitterly cold Duffryn Pennar Park. In Mount’s first home Division 1 East Central game of the season, Rhydyfelin had first use of the strong wind. The Old Firm kept the ball in hand as much as they could in the first half and had the better of the territory in the first quarter. From a long kick upfield by Rhydyfelin, a counter attack started by scrum half Morgan Cartwright saw outside half Callum Hall beat a couple of players which put flanker David Richards away on the Rhydyfelin 10 metre line. He took play into the visitors’ 22 where a last defender tackled him, but the Old Firm were awarded a penalty and kicked it to 5 metres out. A good throw-in by hooker Jarrad Parfitt and take by Richards saw the Mount pack drive on for prop James Cowdry to get the touchdown for his first try of the season to make it 5-0 after 26 minutes.

A penalty to Rhydyfelin allowed the visitors to take play up to the Mount 22 for the first time since the opening minutes. Pressure near the Mount line saw the Old Firm awarded a scrum 5 metres out, but with kicking difficult against the strong wind, a pick-up and drive on saw the visitors’ backrow in quickly to win a penalty. Rhydyfelin opted for a scrum and moved the ball to the narrow side for wing Liam Williams to score in the corner to make it 5-5, which is how it stayed until half time.

In the first minute of the second half, outside half Hall immediately elected to kick at goal from just inside the Mount half. He struck the ball well, with it hitting the crossbar, bouncing up and then over the bar to great applause from the Mount support to give the Old Firm an 8-5 lead.

From a kick upfield, a strong run and a break by Rhydyfelin full back David Gratton had Mount defending in their own 22. Rhydyfelin made the most of it, and with good ball retention pressurised the Old Firm close to their line and eventually scored a try in the corner in the 47^th minute to go 10-8 in front.

The last quarter was a stalemate with Rhydyfelin having the better of the territory and Mount staying in the game despite two yellow cards and numerous penalty awards to the visitors. Wing Curtis Williams made ground out of the Mount 22 with a run, and a couple of kicks by the Old Firm turned Rhydyfelin and put pressure on them.

With the game in the last five minutes, a kick out of defence by Rhydyfelin up to halfway was gathered by outside Hall who moved it centre Jamie Long. He was in space with a couple of defenders in front of him, but he went outside one and through the both to outpace the Rhydyfelin defence with the run of the match and then gave a perfect inside pass to supporting flanker David Richards, who run round under the posts to score a crucial try and put Mount back in front amid great excitement. Hall had no problem converting to make it 15-10.

The Old Firm had the bit between their teeth and a kick on by hooker Parfitt again turned the visitors. From an attempted counter attack, centre Long – Mount’s man of the match – made an excellent tackle to stop it in its tracks. With the Mount forwards quickly in, a penalty award 25 metres out was converted by outside half Hall with a fine kick to put Mount 18-10 up and out of sight after 82 minutes.

The win was hard earned and owed a lot to the Old Firm competing for 85 minutes, and hanging in there despite playing the second half two men short for 20 minutes. The try was a superb piece of play by centre Jamie Long – a beautiful outside break and a perfectly weighted and directed pass when it was needed to openside flanker David Richards – who was on the ball carrier’s shoulder just like an openside should be. After two games played in Division 1 East Central, Mount, Porth, St Peter’s and Treorchy are at the top of the table with 9 points from the 10 available. Something has to give this week as the Old Firm travel to Porth, kick off is 2:30pm.