Fixture

Local rivals Abercwmboi went in front with a 35 metre penalty from the kick off after the Old Firm were offside from a dropped ball, scrum half Adam Bolitho converting.

During the first quarter, Mount started to get into the game and had the better of the territory. Outside half Callum Hall and flanker Dai Richards combined to set centre Jarrod Cushion free into the ‘boi 22. A penalty to Mount 15 metres out was converted by Hall to make it 3-3 after 12 minutes.

Mount’s back play was haphazard at times and they did not take advantage of the huge amount of space between the ‘boi midfield and full back.

The Mount forwards were quickly in at a breakdown to win a penalty, outside half Hall sweetly striking over a 45 metre penalty to put his side 6-3 up in the 17^th minute.

Sloppy play at the restart by the Mount pack allowed ‘boi to take play into the Mount 22, but from a catch and drive attempt by the visitors, it was the Old Firm who came away with the ball and cleared.

With 25 minutes played, Mount moved the ball from a scrum on the Abercwmboi 10 metre line. A pass from Cushion to Morgan James put the flying wing away down the touchline to 10 metres out where his pass inside to Dai Richards saw the flanker unable to take it and a golden opportunity of a try was lost.

Minutes later, another attack started on halfway and involving Cushion, outside half Callum Hall and flanker Richards again saw play taken into the ‘boi 22 where quick ruck ball was moved into midfield. Wing Morgan James was again in the action and made an inside break to score Mount’s first try of the game near the posts. Hall converted to make it 13-3.

Shortly after, a long pass created space out wide, centre Cushion giving wing Iestyn Robins a perfect pass for the wing to race 20 metres and dive over in the corner for a well taken try. Hall was unlucky with a good conversion attempt from the corner which hit an upright.

With the game approaching half time, full back Jayden Pugh saved the Old Firm’s line with a text-book low tackle on a strong running ‘boi forward who broke through from a ruck on halfway. The visitors attacked again and a diagonal chip into space over the Mount defence by centre Jordan Rees was picked up by the ‘boi wing who got to 15 metres out where his inside pass was snaffled by the Mount defence and half time was called.

Mount continued the pressure at the start of the second half, with penalty awards kicked into the Abercwmboi 22. A long kick by the visitors and quick following up saw full back Pugh again step up to the mark in defence by withstanding a couple of would-be tacklers and driving forward on the Mount 22.

An attack by Mount started by wing James who was first to a bouncing ball saw him nearly get away. Centre Steve Brittain took play on and with flanker Dai Richards in plenty of space 25 metres out his pass looked like a try-scoring one but the referee signalled it forward and ‘boi were let off the hook.

After 55 minutes, a ‘boi forward was yellow carded for killing the ball at a ruck. The penalty was kicked up to the visitors’ 22, and from further pressure, a short pass by scrum half Ross Davies to prop James Cowdry saw him break through a couple of tackles to drive over and score Mount’s third try of the game. Hall converted to make it 25-3 after 58 minutes.

From a kick into the Mount half, outside half Hall displayed a lovely bit of skill with a chip and catch over several oncoming ‘boi players and gave to the ever-present Dai Richards who took play into the visitors’ 22. Nice handling by the Mount threequarters saw the ball moved wide through Hall to Cushion, and he gave another well-timed pass to full back Pugh who run in to finish off a fine attack and score the bonus point try to great applause. Hall converted to make it 32-3 with just over an hour played.

The visitors got a try back with a peel from a 5 metre lineout that saw former long-serving Mount forward Kriss Sanders drive over for a try to make it 32-8.

But it was the Old Firm who finished the stronger. Centre Cushion got away and gave to wing Robins, in space, and he run in for the fifth try, Hall converting with a quite superb strike from the touchline to take the score up to 39-8 after 72 minutes. And in the 77^th minute, Hall run in the last try of the game from 20 metres out to make it 44-8 and take his points total up to 19 for the game.

The win took Mount’s points total at the top of the Division 1 East Central table to 53, 11 points in front of Cambrian Welfare who have two games in hand. It was also the 9^th Silver Ball win from 10 games played in which 45 tries have been scored. Whether that is enough to get a place in the quarter final play-offs will be known by the end of January.

This Saturday, 20 January, the Old Firm play Division 1 East club Senghenydd in the ¼ final of the Division 1 Cup at Duffryn Pennar Park, kick off 2:30pm. Bonus points and tries will not matter this week, just points on the board after 80 minutes. There is no doubt Senghenydd will arrive in determined fashion. The Old Firm will have to be at their best from the first minute to the last and on their toes in attack and defence if they are to win and claim a place in the semi-final. The atmosphere at Duffryn Pennar Park was superb when Brynmawr visited in the last Round. The Mount team are hoping for similar this week.