DIVISION THREE EAST CENTRAL B

TONYREFAIL .............. 18 FERNDALE .................... 5

TONYREFAIL were hosts to nearby Ferndale for this Division Three East Central B game on a day when you would not have wanted to be a winger.

With a strong, cold wind blowing down the field and muddy conditions underfoot making for a greasy ball nobody was expecting a classic but with both teams trying to turn around recent fortunes it was certainly going to be committed.

In the first half Ton had the wind in their favour and it was not long before they got their first points as they defended against Ferndale’s short driving runs on their 22 metre line. Ferndale opted to move the ball down the blind side but Ton’s right wing Craig Kehoane intercepted a pass and broke clear. He made ground and a well-timed pass to Alex Pugsley beat the full back and the centre raced to the line to score with only four minutes on the clock.

Ton continued to put the pressure on but a poorly functioning lineout meant possession was lost at crucial times. Thankfully, the home team had by far the stronger scrum for most of the game and with the greasy conditions causing a high number of knock-ons they used it to good effect preventing Ferndale getting good ball on their own put in. Ton increased their lead on the 20-minute mark with a penalty while Ferndale failed with their only kickable opportunity of the half.

Ton kept the pressure on for full back Jackson Acreman to score a try on the half hour but the strong wind meant the conversion was kicked wide and at half-time Ton had to be satisfied with a 13-0 lead.

Home supporters were probably wondering if their team had done enough with the elements in their favour but they were answered very quickly as Ton went further ahead only three minutes into the second half. From a scrum on the Ferndale ten metre line they moved the ball quickly down the blind side and some neat interpassing between Ton’s right wing and full back took them to the try line with blind side flanker Rhys Morris taking the final pass to touch down.

Ferndale were now 18-0 down but they were certainly not finished. They had the home team on the back foot for long periods and missed a gilt edged chance to cut the deficit when it looked easier to score than not, but Ton’s full back Acreman made a huge effort to make the tackle that prevented a try under the posts. Ton held out until on the hour when the visitors crossed for what was to be their only points of the game and although they kept pressing time was not on their side.

With this win Ton consolidate their mid-table position but they cannot afford to relax with games on the horizon against teams above them.