DIVISION 2 EAST CENTRAL

OLD ILLTYDIANS ....... 10 PONTYCLUN ................. 5

PONTYCLUN were forced to make four changes due to late withdrawals and the subsequent positional reshuffle would have some influence on the match.

However, despite persistent rain, the start could not have been better as within a few minutes of kick-off Clun scrum half Joel Ayres fed a good pass out to Joe Willams at outside half. he number 10 placed a deft kick to the left touchline which was gathered by centre Josh Clarke who scored. Williams failed with the conversion.

The home side were stung into action by this and from the restart a driving move down their left wing saw impressive No 8 Tom Wheeler crash over for a try which was converted by Illtydians outside half Sean Cochlin.

Sadly, after those two early excitements the game sank into a pretty boring exchange of charge and counter charge between the 22 metre lines with neither side gaining any significant scoring opportunities. The home pack dominated most lineouts and scrums and Ayres was constantly under pressure at the set pieces, preventing any individual forays and opportunities to get his three-quarters moving.

The visitors were consequently reliant upon captain and No 8 Jack Theaker picking up at the base of the scrum and driving forward but this ruse was usually snuffed out by the home defence. In fact, it was the defence of both teams that earned meagre praise from the soaked and frustrated supporters. Illtydians raised their pace in the second half and might just have scored were it not for good tackling by Clarke, fellow centre Huw Probyn and the ever livewire flanker Lloyd Rose.

Frustration led to mistakes and midway in the half Clun lost prop Pilkington to a yellow card making their task that much harder. Inevitably penalties came and eventually, Cochlin slotted one over from a good position on the 22m line. Yet at 10–5 there was still plenty of time for Clun to raise their game. Full back Adam Lewis, in his first run out of the season, gamely tried a number of counter attacks but running into the midfield instead of looping wide saw the ball recovered by the home defence with some gratitude.

The last five minutes saw the visitors camped near the Illtydians line but even with a bag full of penalties given, a number of passive scrums introduced and a ruse using a forward at scrum half, Clun just could not put together a scoring chance.

Illtydians were delighted at the final whistle to have registered their first win of the season in a game they had clearly targeted for possible points. The Pontyclun coaches and players trooped off dejected and weary with very much to think about with tougher fixtures on the horizon.

This Saturday, October 22, Pontyclun are home to Llanishen.