DIVISION 2 EAST CENTRAL
PONTYCLUN ................. 5 DINAS POWYS ............ 61
A DEPLETED Pontyclun RFC 1st XV, minus eight first picks, suffered their heaviest league defeat for many seasons when they entertained Dinas Powys on Saturday.
However, despite the scoreline, this was not a one-sided game with Dinas dominant. On the contrary, Pontyclun enjoyed as much territory and possession as their visitors but were ruthlessly punished by the pace and counter-attacking power of the Dinas back division. In particular, the Dinas winger Jim Whiltshire had a superb match, helping himself to five tries in a man of the match performance.
In the programme notes, the Pontyclun “sage” John David said: “We have some excellent players and do well at the set pieces but seem unable to spread the ball wide preferring the smash and bash options, which, so often result in turnovers...”
Well, John must have been staring into his “silver ball” beer glass as that is exactly what took place at the start of this game.
Pontyclun were “at it” from the off and for the first four or five minutes were camped near to the Dinas line, battering away to no avail.
Then, the ball was turned over, spun along the line and Whiltshire sprinted 80m down the right touchline to cross unchallenged under the posts.
Outside half Sam Middlemiss added the extras from the tee.
It took another 10 minutes for Dinas to extend their lead and it was Whiltshire again, with another superb solo effort from 65m out who scored it.
Now they led 14-0 thanks to the boot of Middlemiss. Pontyclun’s cause was not helped when prop Simon Pilkington was shown the red card by referee Aled Liddington following an altercation amongst the forwards, but the 30-minute mark was reached without any addition to the score.
However, leading up to half time, tries from Dan O’Donnell and the hat-trick try from Whiltshire, together with a further conversion from Middlemiss, extended the score to 26-0.
The playing numbers were evened up to 14 each when, right on time, Dinas prop Luke Dyer was red carded for throwing several punches at his opposite number Matthew Bartlett.
Within minutes of the restart Dinas grabbed their fifth try courtesy of Cory Imperato – Middlemiss converting – before Pontyclun countered with their only score when winger Sam Davies followed up his own chip forward and crossed wide out on the left touchline.
As the Pontyclun boys tired somewhat, every piece of Dinas possession seemed to result in a score. Pontyclun enjoyed equal territorial advantage but eventually the ball was either knocked on, intercepted or turned over and the pacy Dinas backs punished every error.
They ran in five more tries to really put the Badgers to the sword. All the tries eminated from possession secured in their own half, with Whiltshire adding two more and Sam Davies, Rhys Evans and Middlemiss all grabbing one each.
Despite the margin of defeat, no one could decry the effort of the players who turned out on the day, they were just beaten by a better side who took their chances with clinical precision.
However, what has to be questioned is the wisdom of arranging a “stag weekend” on a match day particularly when the side are locked in a relegation battle.
Make no mistake about it, unless the players unite as a group, together with the coaching staff, they will be fortunate to survive relegation this time around.
They face two very difficult fixtures at St Peters, next Saturday and at home to arch rivals Llantrisant on December 17.