DIVISION 2 EAST CENTRAL
PONTYCLUN ............... 29 LLANISHEN ................. 14
THE old saying “It’s a game of two halves” seemed particularly apt at the end of this Division 2 East Central clash at Windsor Park.
Throughout the first half Pontyclun looked particularly sluggish as they were battered by a swathe of forward attacks spearheaded by Llanishen prop Lee Swindlehurst.
It was only due to determined defence and some brutal tackling, especially by home full back Tom Hannah and wing Sam Davies, that the visitors were held to a 6-3 lead. All those points came from offside infringements and Tom, the Llanishen full back, slotted over two comfortable kicks with Pascoe responding with one for Pontyclun.
The transformation in the first few minutes of the second half was initiated by inspirational match captain and flanker Lloyd Rose who broke through the defending centres to take Clun near the 22m mark. A late tackle by Llanishen No 8 Lewis Marshal saw him receive a yellow card from referee Stephen Richmond. From a subsequent scrum the home forwards surged towards the Llanishen line and scrum half Joel Ayres was able to pass out to lock Gavin Ashcroft and the big man crashed over for a try near the corner flag. Pascoe’s conversion failed.
To their credit Llanishen were not phased by that score and from the kick-off centres Sam Williams and Miles Anderson took play back to the Clun 22m line. From an ensuing maul Clun back rower Ryan Williams was adjudged to have committed a technical offence and he, too, was sin binned. Hannah gratefully took the penalty and increased Llanishen’s tally to nine points.
From the restart Llanishen pressed forward but lost the ball and Pascoe was able to initiate a counter attack. He passed outside to lively hooker Josh Clarke who set off on a blistering 40-yard run down the touchline. He passed inside to supporting centre Luke Rose who finished a 20-yard run with a try in the corner. The conversion kick was a difficult one but Pascoe secured the extra points taking the score to 15-9.
The home support- ers sensed the game had now changed with much more forceful play by the home pack. The front row of Jones, Clarke and Pilkington seemed to have demoralised their opposition and the back row, where flanker Dan Hemmings was having a field day, snuffed out any potential Llanishen breaks.
The next Pontyclun try came after another dominant scrum when Ayres was able to let outside half Joe Williams with space to break the visitors line. After an amazing act of circus standard ball juggling Williams was able to gain ground and pass inside to centre Huw Probyn who ran in under the posts. Pascoe’s conversion took the score to 22-9.
Into the last 10 minutes of the game, Llanishen continued to contest the match vigorously but any serious breaks were thwarted by excellent tackling by the Clun centres, Probyn and Rose, and the sublime touch kicking of Williams. The Clun coaches now used all their replacement bench and all contributed to a final exciting passage of play.
It was Clarke again who initiated the next home try. He broke a tackle and set Pascoe off on a run near the touchline. He managed an inside pass to right wing Adam Lewis who blistered away to the line cutting past several tired defenders on the way. His try was converted by Pascoe taking the score to 29-9.
Then in the dying moments Llanishen caught the home side asleep and from the kick-off spread the ball across their youthful three-quarter line allowing right wing Carl Tyers to score an unconverted try giving a final score of Pontyclun 29 – Llanishen 14.
Llanishen will be pleased with their persistence despite this heavy defeat. Pontyclun will be ecstatic to have shown their supporters a second half of comprehensive skills and intensity. The gradual dominance of the forwards, where the locks Ashcroft and Rudge formed a powerful partnership were the key to this result but the sparkling runs of Clarke , Rose, Pascoe and Lewis will be the moments best remembered.
Next Saturday, October 29, Pontyclun have a real test at home, when second-placed Division One East side Llanelli Wanderers arrive for a WRU Plate competition. Kick-off 2.30pm.