DIVISION 2 EAST CENTRAL
PONTYCLUN ............... 24 OLD ILLTYDIANS ......... 9
OLD Illtydians started this game impressively with a series of attacking moves towards the Pontyclun line but from one of those the visiting outside-half, Sean Cochlin, threw a wild pass inside to his centres and the loose ball was hacked on by Clun right wing Adam Lewis who chased and kicked again and controlled after some 75 metres to collect and score under the posts. Scrum half Nicky Theaker added the conversion points.
The rest of the first half saw Illtydians dominate the set pieces and with visiting centres Banner and Dallimore prominent, they threw everything at the Clun three-quarters. Only excellent defensive work particularly by McTaggart, Rose, Dennis and Lewis prevented a score but constant blitz battering like this inevitably results in a few penalties and Cochlin accepted three from referee Rob Motta, all from pretty much the same spot, to push Illtydians into a 9-7 lead.
Theaker was frequently Clun’s most dangerous attacker but the visiting back row of Morse, Britton and Poole dropped a muddy blanket on most of his breaks but right on the half-time mark he was able to initiate a move down the left wing. A clean offload from flanker Jordan Christopher saw the ball passed out to Clun outside half Joe Williams. He continued the pressure through a long pass in field where loose head prop Simon Pilkington was unmarked and able to slalom through for a try near the posts. Theaker converted taking the score at the half mark to 14-9.
The second half began with a penalty award to Pontyclun for a technical offence near the half way line. Despite the muddy conditions, Theaker opted to kick at goal and collected another three points with a truly monster kick. With Illtydian morale sinking after that, the Clun forwards began to play with more energy and with Sean O’Connor replacing McTaggart at centre, Gavin Parsons on for Ryan Williams at flanker and Sam Barclay taking over at hooker from Josh Cowls the pace of Clun’s attacking options increased.
The Illtydian pack continued to be dangerous but despite supplying their back line with plenty of opportunities they failed to get any width into their game and squandered so many chances in the last quarter of the game. Clun tenacity deserved another score and it eventually came when Theaker was able to slip past the opposition back row and break up-field. He had flanker Christopher inside him who took a perfectly timed pass allowed him to cross for a well constructed try. Theaker again kicked the conversion points taking the final score to 24–9 in Pontyclun’s favour.