Ystrad rise to topple depleted Dairymen
YSTRAD RHONDDA.... 20 LLANHARAN................ 15
THIS was a brave showing by a depleted Llanharan side fielding a changed back division as a result of injuries and unavailability.
Defeat was a bitter pill to swallow as, for the second week running, two tries were awarded against them despite what seemed clear offences.
Home centre Dano Roberts was the beneficiary in each case, a forward pass evident in his first touchdown and a blatant two-man crossing obstruction for the crucial winner.
Llanharan even survived a first half yellow for tight-head Joel Ringer and actually fought back from 10-0 down to lead 13-12, only to suffer a late converted try from Roberts leaving them with just a losers’ bonus point.
So peeved was Llanharan skipper Huw Thomas with that final score that he too was harshly yellow-carded as he took out his frustration on a water bottle.
The Dairymen’s head coach Jeff Pick was disappointed, but full of praise for his side’s efforts.
“We came up here with numerous enforced changes against one of the early front runners,” he said.
“Yet the effort and pride they showed in the shirt was heart-warming and I could not have asked more of men who, in other circumstances, could have been playing for our Seconds.
“They deserved better than to see victory denied them by two fortuitous tries, the second week we have suffered such a fate.
“However, our squad should start to return to full strength in the coming weeks – but I am not taking anything away from the boys who did duty today, they did the club proud.”
It was nevertheless an excellent game of rugby with two fairly evenly matched teams.
The game started in the same vein as the weather, bright and sunny, with Ystrad soon putting pressure on the Llanharan line.
Llan defended well, however, and eventually cleared their line.
The game then was even with the play moving between the two 22 metres lines.
Ystrad were winning the scrums, their opponents often ending up on the wrong end of the whistle, although it was the away side that was winning the line-outs. The penalties in the scrum eventually led to Ringer’s demise, and Ystrad’s opening penalty.
Roberts went over almost immediately from the scrum awarded after the ball failed to travel 10 metres from the restart and Shepherd’s kick made it 10-0.
Llanharan came back brilliantly with a scything break by Chris Poole, who cut the opposition apart and went over for an unconverted try making it 10-5 at half-time.
The second half start- ed with Llanharan having more possession and putting pressure on the Ystrad line, leading to a close quarter try by scrum-half Craig Burton, Parsons converting for a 12-10 lead.
Exchanged penalties meant the Dairymen held on to their lead, but a scrum in their 22 saw Roberts grab his second, albeit contentious, score, Shepherd’s conversion completing the scoring.
The Black and Blues will be hoping for better fortune when Tondu arrive at the Dairy for a Plate game.
MID GLAM PREMIER LLANHARAN SECONDS........................ 5 NANTYFYLLON ........... 62
THE loss of so many quality players to the senior team told as Llanharan eventually were taken apart by Nanty.
The away side benefited from its own 1st XV having no game, and the superior class of a handful of players was clear to see.
Chris Sharkey got his side’s consolation score.