Fixture

Newbridge RFC | 1st Team 34 - 13 Mountain Ash RFC | 1st Team
Daniel Davies
Try 1
Eamonn Rees
Conversion 3
Penalty 1
Matthew Davies
Try 1
Stuart Vokes
Try 1
Jakob Seamus Duffy
Try 1
Michael Preece
Try 1

Match Report
07 March 2022 / Team News

Mount Bow Out Of Plate

The Newbridge’s pack was the biggest and heaviest the Old Firm had faced this season, and it was the foundation upon which the home team won this WRU Plate last 16 tie.

The hosts went in front after a couple of minutes when a dropped pass from the kick off gave them a scrum on the Mount 22, from which they took the ball through several phases and were awarded a penalty in front of the posts just 15 metres out. The Old Firm started to get into the game and after a strong run by centre Alex Hughes, Mount got a penalty 20 metres out which outside half Callum Hall kicked to make it 3-3. There was then a break of over 10 minutes as the referee went off the field to have treatment for a calf injury.

Newbridge were very direct in their approach to the game all afternoon, using their forwards and strong running centre to make ground. They went in front 8-3 after 26 minutes with a catch at a lineout which was driven on 25 metres for a try midway out which went unconverted. A diagonal grubber kick into the Mount 22 led to further pressure with the home forwards in the forefront of the attack. From a penalty to Newbridge on the Mount line, the home team took a scrum and managed to get over for a try, which they converted to go 15-3 up.

The Old Firm made ground into the Newbridge 22 and got to 10 metres out, but they were penalised and the home team cleared. A yellow card to centre Alex Hughes as the first half was drawing to a close for a tip-tackle resulted in the home team kicking into the Mount 22, winning the lineout, and driving over again, this time from 15 metres. The conversion made it 22-3 at half time.

Mount made a great start to the second half with a fine try by wing Curtis Williams in the corner after moving the ball along the backline in the Newbridge half to set him free. It looked the way forward for the Old Firm and another attack from the restart saw Mount get to within 5 metres of the home line, but what looked like a minor disagreement among both packs ended up with prop James Cowdry being yellow carded.

A dropped high kick in the Mount 22 gave Newbridge a scrum and from that they scored their third try, which was converted to make it 29-8 after 48 minutes. The Old Firm responded quickly with a try of their own. After taking play up to the home line, a few neat passes put flanker Ewan Rees into space 5 metres out and he scored wide out to make it 29-13. The game was competitive to the last and in the final 10 minutes the referee saw fit to issue four yellow cards – 2 to each side. With the last move of the game, the home team scored in the corner.

Although a defeat, the Old Firm were beaten by a strong team with a weighty, big set of forwards that would give all teams in Division 1 a stern test. The Mount team have everything still to play for though in the league. They are 2nd in Division 1 East Central and in pole position to challenge for the title, with 5 games to play, 3 of which are at home.

This Saturday, 12 March, the scheduled league game at home to Treorchy is off because the visitors are playing a Plate game. Instead, Mount will travel the short distance to Nelson to play the ¼ final of the Coors Mid District Cup, kick off 2:30pm.

Players Fixture player info not published.
Gallery

There doesn't appear to be any tagged photos.

Upload and Tag Photos