Day to remember for Cowdry as Old Firm score eight tries

DIVISION ONE EAST LLANTWIT FARDRE 22 MOUNTAIN ASH 54

THE Old Firm scored eight tries in this away win at Llantwit Fardre to make it a game to remember for prop forward James Cowdry.

As well as scoring a try to take his tally to 12 for the season, Cowdry was awarded his Old Firm cap before the game by his coach over many seasons, former Wales “A” International and Mount stalwart, prop Neil Eynon. The win also secured 4th place in Division 1 East Central for the Old Firm, with a chance of moving up to 3rd place if they can win last two games.

Although playing with a strong wind, it was Llantwit who scored the first points of the afternoon with an attack which took play into the Mount 22 where a 15 metre penalty was converted to make it 3-0 after 5 minutes play.

From the restart, second row Luke Brennan was the first to react to the ball bouncing over the 10 metre line and took it on, giving to prop Cowdry, who passed on to fellow prop forward Tom Harper.

Although Llantwit recovered the ball in midfield, a turnover saw Mount centre Steve Brittain get away down the touchline to score the first try of the afternoon in the corner, wing Will Holley converting superbly from the corner to make it 7-3.

Llantwit’s problems increased with the yellow carding of a player, and shortly after, centre Alex Hughes, who once again made some strong runs which made plenty of ground, shrugged off a tackler to run in under the posts, Holley converting to make it 14-3 after 16 minutes.

A dropped ball by Llantwit on the Mount 22 was hacked on by wing Holley who outpaced the defence but was beaten by an irregular bounce of the ball in the home 22. Llantwit conceded a penalty though, which resulted in prop Cowdry crowning his 200th 1st XV game with a typical strong, driving run through the defence to dive over under the posts, Holley converting.

Mount were looking to move the ball whenever possible and from further pressure in the home 22, the bonus point 4th try was scored on the half hour by hooker Jack James who drove over from close in, Holley also converting to make it 28-3.

After a Llantwit player was dismissed for a comment to the referee, a scrum near halfway saw the ball moved to the narrow side to wing Will Holley, who showed a turn of pace and strength to beat two men and race into the corner for a fine try the Old Firm’s 5th of the half - which he capped with a superb conversion from the corner to make it 35-3 at half time.

Llantwit had use of the strong wind in the sec-