Fixture

St Josephs RFC | 1st Team 12 - 17 Mountain Ash RFC | 1st Team

Match Report
08 March 2023 / Team News

Good Start Then Penalties Dominate

The Old Firm got back to winning ways with a very welcome win away to St Joseph’s.

Mount had a good first quarter and were well on top. Good ripping by prop James Cowdry in a maul and a lineout take by flanker Daniel Phillips helped the Old Firm up to the St Joseph 22. Prop Bleddyn Lock made a break from a maul and when the ball was recycled, it was shot across the backline, with outside half Callum Hall making a fast, long pass to centre Jarrod Cushion who made ground and passed to Iestyn Robins for the full back to dive over near the corner flag. Hall converted with an excellent kick to make it 7-0 after 8 minutes.

After 15 minutes, outside half Hall broke away in midfield and with only the full back to beat gave what would probably have been a try scoring pass, albeit slightly behind the supporting player, but it was dropped and a good chance was lost.

It was all Mount. Further pressure saw full back Robins tackled 5 metres out. A lineout throw to the home team was taken by Mount flanker Dai Richards. The ball was fed out to outside half Hall who cut through in midfield, sprinted away from the defence and beat the full back to run in and score a superb individual try under the posts after half hour of play. The conversion made it 14-0 and the Old Firm looked well on their way.

However, for the rest of the game, a record amount of penalties were conceded which gave St Joseph’s plenty of ball, territory and possession, and stopped Mount from setting up any sustained play or attacks.

A penalty to the home team after 32 minutes made it 14-3, and then another just before half time made it 14-6. The last play of the half saw St Joseph’s come close to scoring in the corner but the Mount defence covered the danger.

As it turned out, a rare incursion into the St Joseph’s half in the first minutes of the second half brought a penalty for Mount, and Hall kicked an excellent penalty from 45 metres with a sweet strike to take his side’s lead up to 17-6.

A yellow card to Mount forward Steffan Calderbank may have given the home side an extra man but they still could not break down the Mount defence. A penalty for St Joseph’s on the hour made it 17-9.

Mount flanker Dai Richards was quickly up on the restart to claim a superb catch. A crossfield kick by Hall was well-taken by wing Declan Conway who cut inside and raced away near halfway. A pass inside and a kick on saw the home team just about get the touch down as Mount made their one attack of a penalty-ridden second half.

Another penalty to the home team with time almost up made it 17-12, and that was that.

After a promising start the Old Firm got an important away win, but by not as much as looked likely early on.

It is tight at the top of Division 1 East Central with just 6 points separating the top five clubs. There is all to play. The next League game for the Old Firm is on Thursday 16 March at Duffryn Pennar Park when Porth are the visitors. Kick off is 7:30pm.

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