Fixture

Mount got off to the perfect start in this Championship East fixture. No.8 Cameron Davies intercepted a pass on the Talywain 10 metre line and set up a ruck when he was tackled a few metres on. The Old Firm took the ball up to just 5 metres out from the home line and moved it wide to centre Jamie Long who cut inside and scored from 10 metres out for a 5-0 lead.

The home side got into the game and started making ground into the Mount half. Although they tried to use their backs, they got no change out of the Mount defence. From a penalty kick to 5 metres out, a catch, drive and touchdown gave Talywain their first try. A very good conversion attempt from the corner rebounded off the post, which left the score 5-5 after 7 minutes.

Another catch, drive and touchdown came from a 5 metre lineout and once again the conversion rebounded off the post, this time from the opposite touchline, which put Talywain 10-5 up after 14 minutes play.

The home side were having the better of the territory but not looking as if they would score. A penalty from 20 metres out after 23 minutes extended the home lead to 13-5.

A nicely placed chip by outside half Callum Hall over the Talywain midfield was gathered by the home full back under pressure from Mount full back Jarrod Cushion. The Old Firm won the ball at the breakdown and took play up to the Talywain line where they moved it across the field and back again, getting over from close-in for a try to reduce the arrears to 13-10 after 34 minutes.

Poor defence by Mount from a high kick saw a Talywain player catch the ball unopposed in space and set up an attack which ended with a penalty award 35 metres out which was converted to take the home lead up to 16-10.

A crunching tackle by wing Cole Nash dislodged the ball from a Talywain player in the opening moments of the second half. Nash also got away down the touchline near halfway but his kick ahead – the right option and something both Mount wings should practise with the gas they each have – went into touch.

Some good defence by Mount kept Talywain out, and then the Old Firm hit back with an attack which took play up to the home 22. But just 15 metres out, from a ruck, the home team came away with the ball and put their wing away down the touchline. Superb defence by Cushion saw the full back chase back and make a try saving tackle to save the day for Mount.

From a scrum in the Mount 22 after an hour’s play, the home wing got over in the corner to extend the Talywain lead to 21-10.

The Old Firm responded, and after a powerful run by No.8 Davies made ground from a scrum on the Talywain 10 metre line, a penalty award was nicely converted by Hall to reduce the home lead to 21-13.

What looked like a crunching tackle by hooker Liam Attwell was punished with a yellow card. Although one man down, the Mount defence was comfortable.

With just two minutes left, a well-placed chip by centre Long and quick following-up by Mount had the home defence in trouble. It was all Mount as they moved the ball using forwards and backs and took the game to Talywain in the home 22, and from a ruck 5 metres out, the ball was quickly put through a couple of pairs of hands into Cushion’s hands and he run into the corner for a try to make it 24-18 and gain a losing bonus point.

Although the Mount team fell into the relegation zone with Brynmawr, after a third of the scheduled games have taken place, there are seven or eight clubs in the division who are in a dogfight to stay up. Mount are just one point adrift of St Peter’s and six behind Treorchy with a game in hand, six behind Aberdare, and seven behind Ynysddu. With a win worth four points and a bonus point win five, there’s all to play for.

The next game is home to Glamorgan Wanderers – recently beaten in Talywain – on Saturday 30 November, kick off 2:30pm.