DIVISION ONE EAST CENTRAL
PORTH ............................ 7 MOUNTAIN ASH ......... 23
ALTHOUGH playing against a strong wind after the interval, three welltaken tries in the second half won this game for the Old Firm at Porth.
Playing with the wind, Mount went in front after just five minutes with a 40m penalty from outside half Will Holley who kicked it with plenty to spare with the wind at his back. The lead was increased to 6-0 by Holley with a 25m penalty after 15 minutes following pressure on the home team on their 22.
Porth put together their best attack of the half by taking the ball through several phases to take play up to the Mount 22 but determined defence by the Old Firm secured a penalty which Holley cleared downfield. Scrum half Ross Davies broke on the blindside of a ruck in the Porth half and linked with centre Alex Hughes, who fed full back Declan Conway, but the Porth defence held. Right on half time, a 5m lineout from a penalty was won by the home forwards and a grubber kick through looked to be a try but the referee, who was well placed, disallowed it, and signalled half-time.
Mount got off to a flyer in the second half when Youth backrow forward Jordan Burke, who did well throughout the game and played out of position in the second row, latched onto an overthrow by the home team at a lineout on their own 22 to show a turn of speed and an eye for the gap to race through midfield and touch down near the posts for his first senior try and Mount’s first of the afternoon. Holley had no problem converting to make it 13-0.
Five minutes later, a high kick by the home team was caught by outside half Holley, who showed a touch of class by side-stepping an oncoming tackler and accelerating away to take play to just outside the Porth 22 where he gave nicely weighted and well-timed pass to full back Declan Conway, for him to run in unopposed from 25m out to score an unconverted try in the corner which finished off a superb attack and made it 18-0.
The home team hit back in the 57th minute when a penalty was kicked to the Mount 22.
After the resulting lineout was won, a break in midfield was finished off by wing Scott Bowditch who touched down midway out, full back Jason Read converting to make it 18-7.
Mount responded by taking play to the home team. Another break by Holley from just outside the Mount 22 after 64 minutes once again took play up to the Porth 22, where some good driving play by the Mount forwards took play to the corner where hooker Jack James capped a fine display, getting the touchdown in the corner to finish off another 75m passage of play to make it 23-7. A harsh yellow card after 73 minutes saw a Mount forward yellow carded for a so-called high tackle near a maul, and then a scuffle a couple of minutes later saw a forward from each side also shown a yellow.
Although down to 13 and defending a 5m scrum, a tremendous effort by the Mount eight, aided by centre Alex Hughes at flanker and scrum half Ross Davies at No 8, had the home pack going back and led to a turnover and then a penalty, which Holley cleared to touch.
The Old Firm finished strongly, going in search of the bonus-point fourth try, and from a lineout take by No 8 Sanders, Holley broke again for him to link with wing Cory Roberts who took play up to near the home line.
Although Mount got over the line, they were awarded a 5m scrum but the home team turned the ball over from the scrum and cleared it to leave the Old Firm with a win which keeps them in fourth place in the Division One East Central table, six points behind Rhiwbina but with two games in hand. Forwards Kriss Sanders and Jack James both made a number of drives throughout the game and were in the forefront of the forward effort, young forward Jordan Burke also impressed, and outside half Will Holley was always a danger to the Quins, adding an extra dimension in attack, and played a big part in the two long range tries, which were both fine efforts.
Mountain Ash Athletic had a convincing 33-0 win at home against Ynysybwl 2nd XV last Saturday. Five tries were scored in total by flanker Scott Collins, props Josh Hawkins and Thomas Evans, second row Lewis Scarle, and Youth full back Jack Roberts, who also kicked four conversions.
Mountain Ash Youth play Merthyr Youth at The Wern in the semi-final of the Heart of Wales Youth Cup this Wednesday, March 29, kick-off 7.30pm.
On Saturday, April 1, Cardiff Quins visit Dyffryn Pennar Park for a Division One East Central game, the Athletic travel to Dowlais in the Rhondda and East Glamorgan and the Youth welcome Rumney to Caedrawnant in the Blues Youth League. All games kick off a 2.30pm.