Fixture

There were 6 tries for the Old Firm in their first home Division 1 East Central game of the season played on a beautiful sunny Autumn day at Duffryn Pennar Park, with second row Daniel Phillips – a week in, week out grafter in the Mount pack – getting a hat-trick, and full back Iestyn Robins weighing in with two. Scrum half Ross Davies added one more to give Mount a bonus point win.

From the off, the Old Firm attacked. A loop in midfield saw centre Cole Nash take play up to the St Jo’s 22. Quick ball was moved and taken on by centre Alex Hughes to 5 metres out. Although no points were scored, it set the scene for the game.

Outside half Declan Conway slotted over a 30 metre penalty after 6 minutes to make it 3-0, and then a 65 metre move by Mount started by No.8 Matthew Rees – who had a sterling game – saw Mount move the ball to centre Hughes who went through a gap and passed inside to full back Iestyn Robins who run in from 20 metres for an unconverted try midway out, which increased Mount’s lead to 8-0 after 13 minutes.

The visitors were very positive in their approach and looked to keep the ball in hand right across the field, testing the Mount defence.

A lineout take by flanker David Richards in the St Jo’s half was moved wide, centre Cole Nash getting away again, but his pass to wing Steve Brittain metres out was spoilt by a defender’s hand.

Mount were not to be denied and after some neat interpassing took play to 5 metres out, an inside pass by outside half Conway to Daniel Phillips saw the second row score from 5 metres out and Conway convert for a 15-0 lead after 28 minutes.

Determined defence by the Old Firm in their own 22 kept St Jo’s out. Conway put in a superb 50 metre diagonal kick from just outside the Mount 22 into the visitors’ 22 where it almost bounced into touch a metre out. Although a St Jo’s defender managed to keep the ball in, he sliced his clearance kick. Flanker Dai Richards caught it on the 22 and a couple of passes later full back Robins was put away from 15 metres out to score the Old Firm’s third try of the half. Conway completed a fine bit of play by himself with a magnificent conversion from the touchline to make it 22-0 after 35 minutes.

If the Old Firm thought the hard work had been done, they were wrong as St Jo’s scored two tries in the five minutes before half time and another in the first minute of the second half to reduce the Mount lead to 22-17. Good support play by the visitors earned its reward with a try before half time with Mount not helping their cause with some loose kicking which gave the visitors an easy catch and an open field to run in.

The Old Firm put their nose to the grindstone again and took the game to the visitors. Second row Steffan Calderbank put in some strong runs.

A penalty in the St Jo’s 22 was kicked to touch for a 5 metre lineout. From the lineout, play was taken up to the visitors’ line where second row Phillips drove over under the posts for his second try, Conway converting to make it 29-17 after 46 minutes.

Another attack by Mount took play to one side of the field and then back, Calderbank once again running strongly to 5 metres out where he was tackled. As usual, second row Phillips was on hand to gather the ball and drive over under the posts for a much-deserved hat-trick, Conway once again converting to make it 36-17.

It was all Mount, but the visitors defended strongly and tried to get a bonus point try by running everything. Some good snaffling by Mount prop Bleddyn Lock in a maul regained the ball for Mount on the St Jo’s 22.

With the game in its last minute, a catch and 15 metre drive by the Mount forwards delivered ball for another attack, centre Cole Nash taking play to 10 metres out where the visitors infringed. Livewire scrum half Ross Davies took the penalty quickly and run through a scattered defence to score the Old Firm’s 6^th try of the afternoon, which went unconverted, to finish off a good win for the Old Firm in their first home League game of the season.

Next Saturday, 15 October, the Old Firm welcome Senghenydd to Duffryn Pennar Park for a Division 1 Cup game. Kick off is 2:30pm.