Ton move up to third in table
DIVISION 3 EAST CENTRAL B
NEWLY-PROMOTED Ynysowen were the visitors to Tylcha Fawr Park for this Division 3 East Central B game and with the weather taking a turn for the worst Ton were very aware that their big pack could have a huge effect on the outcome in the wet and muddy conditions.
As it turned out the home pack were more than a match for them in most phases with the visitors just shading the scrums.
Ton took the game to the visitors from the first whistle and had a try disallowed early on before penalties from Garreg Lewis and Lee Berbillion got the scoreboard moving in their favour. After the second penalty Ton were unable to take the restart cleanly and this gave Ynysowen a foothold in Ton territory for the first time. They used their bulky forwards to try and drive through the defensive line a number of times but were continually met with aggresive defence from the home team and came away empty handed.
On the half hour Ton were back in Ynysowen territory and from a scrum on the 10m line Steve Driscoll picked up and made ground before slipping the ball to his scrum half who threw a long pass out to right wing Lee Berbillion. He made good ground, through what was the muddiest part of the field, before off-loading, back inside, to Lewis Crabb who touched down for the try.
The home side were playing with confidence now and although Ynysowen came back at them from the restart with their driving game Ton weathered the storm and took play back upfield. They retained possession through a number of phases which ended with Chris Rand touching down out wide to make the score 16-0 at the halftime whistle.
In the second half Ton had the slope in their favour but it was Ynysowen who made the better start. They took play deep into home territory and from a lineout they drove for the try line. Ton worked hard and stopped the drive and survived three 5m scrums before Ynysowen eventually touched down at the fourth attempt, to score their only points of the game.
On the hour mark the home side gave the visitors a taste of their own medicine when they drove a 5m lineout take over the try line for Liam Roberts to score and followed up 10 minutes later when Chris Rand got on the end of a well-placed cross-field kick to touch down under the posts without a hand being laid on him. Alex Pugsley added the extras and Ton were 28-5 up and looking comfortable. As the game moved into its closing stages they missed two further tries with the ball being knocked on with the try line open.
Another good performance and result for Ton which sees them move up to third in the table which, in all honesty, has not been their territory for a few years. Prominent for Ton in the first half was young flanker Ryan Owen who is playing his first season of senior rugby and it was pleasing to see Craig Keohan and Liam Roberts back in Ton colours after injuries and work commitments.
Next week Ton are away to Old Illtidians in the WRU Bowl.