Fixture

Mountain Ash RFC | 1st Team 20 - 22 Porth Harlequins RFC | 1st Team

Match Report
25 May 2023 / Team News

Mount Lose To Porth XV

The Old Firm and Porth served up a full-on encounter at Duffryn Pennar Park in this last Division 1 East Central game. The visitors were bolstered by five players from clubs in higher divisions, and it was just enough to win the game for them in the 80th minute with an excellent 80 metre last-gasp counter attack, finished off by Neath No.8 Morgan Williams who dummied a stretched Mount defence and just about made it to score the try to draw the game level at 20-20 near the posts. The conversion was no problem and a couple of rucks later, the win was theirs.

You could see the difference in the Porth team the way they scored their first try with some crisp running and passing down the touchline after breaking through the Old Firm’s dog-legged defence to score under the posts. The conversion made it 7-0.

The Old Firm nearly hit back straight away, outside half Callum Hall putting full back Jarrod Cushion through a gap on the Porth 22 where he decided to dummy 10 metres out rather than give to unmarked wing Morgan James.

Mount were looking to attack and some nice handling by Hall and centre Alex Hughes set wing Iestyn Robins free. He got as far as the Porth 22 but his pass inside when tackled went to ground and another chance went begging.

Some good defence by Mount from strong running by the Porth midfield was followed by some nice back move by the Old Firm which saw Cushion come into the line, draw the last defender near the Porth 22 and give a perfect pass to wing Robins for him to run round under the posts to great applause. Outside half Hall converted to make it 7-7 after 15 minutes play.

Porth had a player yellow carded for a deliberate trip on scrum half Ross Davies after he took a quick penalty on halfway.

Further Mount pressure created from some excellent kicks out of hand by Hall saw Mount have a lineout in the Porth 22. A strong drive by backrow forward Daniel Phillips and a pass to Kieran Coomer say the hooker score Mount’s second try of the game. Hall converted with a beauty of a conversion from near the touchline to put his side 14-7 up.

Scrum half Davies was like another flanker at the breakdown, getting in there quickly and winning a couple of penalties for Mount in a very competitive and full-on game.

The Old Firm failed to take the kick which started the second half and also conceded a penalty which Porth kicked from 20 metres out to give the visitors the perfect start to the second half and reduce Mount’s lead to 14-10.

Porth had the upper hand and got a try from another attack which put them in front 15-14 after 46 minutes play.

In the 50th minute, Mount were extremely unlucky not to go back in front when they moved the ball into midfield near the Porth 22 where centre Steve Brittain made went for a gap and slipped a lovely pass to for a Mount player to run in from 20 metres. But to the crowd’s surprise, the referee motioned for a forward pass and the try was ruled out.

A baffling decision by the referee which saw the Porth scrum half pass over the dead ball line from a scrum in the Porth 22 and then Porth be awarded a drop out from under the posts also had people puzzled.

The game had been hard fought but clean when a dispute between two players led to a fracas between the packs and resulted in each side losing a player to a yellow card and the Porth player effectively being sent off for a second yellow card.

Outside half Hall kicked a penalty from the Porth 22 in the 67th minute to put Mount 17-15 in front after the Old Firm were awarded a penalty at a ruck.

A penalty to Mount just 5 metres out from their own line was taken quickly by Hall who went on a tremendous run and got to halfway.

The game was in the balance with each side going for it. A penalty to Mount on the Porth 10 metre line just 15 metres in from the touchline was majestically converted by Hall to increase the Mount lead to 20-15 after 75 minutes.

Slack play by the Old Firm when players in front of the kicker encroached gave Porth a penalty deep in the Mount half. Pressure metres out from the Mount line by Porth was met by a determined defence. A scuffle between a player from each side saw the referee issue two more red cards.

The Old Firm took play up into the Porth half and a grubber kick through by Hall into plenty of space behind the Porth midfield saw him follow up quickly and be just beaten to the ball by a covering threequarter. He beat one man and started a counter attack which covered 80 metres and ended with a try under the Mount posts, with the conversion giving Porth a 22-20 lead they held onto in the final seconds remaining after the restart.

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