IRONMEN STAY ON TOP AFTER BONUS-POINT WIN
DIVISION ONE EAST DOWLAIS ..................... 12 BRYNMAWR ................ 22
IN ALMOST a repeat of their last bout with the club, Dowlais once again walk away losers from their second game against Brynmawr this season.
Like last time, an early try, this time from Tom Griffin and converted by Steve James, gave the home side an early lead, but the visitors’ intense pressure eventually got the better of Dowlais as Brynmawr began their assault again, not showing any signs of slowing down.
A few visits to the Brynmawr 22 ending in failiure not withstanding, Dowlais spent most of the first half defending on their own line, desperately trying to clear the line and get out of danger, only to knock on or give away a penalty and get right back to where they started.
After another try for Brynmawr, the home side ended the half 12-7 down.
The start of the second half didn’t improve things any as Brynmawr’s pressure began getting them real results, scoring two unconverted tries soon enough.
Dowlais’ missed penalties finally caught up with them as Brynmawr became truly out of sight in the last 20 minutes.
In the end, Dowlais finally got something out of all of their fruitless journeys to the Brynmawr 22 with a late, unconverted try from Darryl Jenkins.
Overall, Dowlais’s performance was not as completely bad as the amount of tries they conceded when compared to how much time they spent defending on their own line is quite impressive.
Where improvement is needed is in the offensive department and the field of kicking conversions of penalties to ensure that no opportunities for points are wasted.
In the meantime though, Brynmawr once again walk away from a Dowlais match, bonus point in hand as favourites for winning the league.
PRINCIPALITY PREMIERSHIP BEDWAS ....................... 23 MERTHYR .................... 34
THIS was hard-fought win against a stubborn Bedwas side at the Bridge Field, Bedwas.
Both sides found the going very heavy due to the light rain and sticky playing surface.
Both sides wasted the early exchanges guilty of drop passes and knockons due to the slippery ball. It took 30 minutes to break the deadlock when home centre Steffan Jones slotted a penalty from 25 meters out. This seemed to spur the home side on and soon after a big drive by the heavy home pack inside the Merthyr 22 was illegally pulled down with referee Simon Rees awarding a penalty try and Bedwas had taken a 10-0 lead. Bedwas extended their lead further when Jones slotted over his second penalty.
Just before half-time the game was held up due to a serious head injury to home forward Nathan Hudd. When the game restarted Merthyr had a scrum deep inside the Bedwas 22 and were rewarded a penalty which they turned down and elected for a kick to touch. From the lineout, the Merthyr forwards drove at the Bedwas line and after several attempts scrum half Rhys Downes barged his way over for Merthyr’s opening try, outside half Richard Powell converted to bring the half-time score 13-7.
Jones stretched Bedwas’s lead further just after the restart when he slotted over a penalty in front of the posts. With Bedwas now leading 16-7 it was important for the Ironmen to score next, and they did when full back Kristian Phillips showed his pace and speed as he broke through several Bedwas defenders deep inside the Bedwas 22, Powell converted to reduce the lead 16-14.
Young Ben Sier was winning good lineout ball for the Ironmen well supported by ball-carrying forwards Phil Rees and Ed Siggery. Merthyr then took the lead for the first time when Powell slotted over the first of his two penalties after Bedwas were penalised at the scrum, followed by a second penalty for offside. Merthyr then turned down a long-range penalty and elected for a catch and drive from an attacking lineout deep inside the Bedwas 22. As the forwards drove towards the Bedwas line prop forward Nathan Travett crashed over for Merthyr’s third try, Powell converted and the Ironmen now lead 16-27.
With time running out Bedwas threw everything at Merthyr looking for a score to salvage a bonus point and they were rewarded when prop Rhys Hutcherson crashed over after several drives from the Bedwas pack, Jones converted to close the gap 23-27. Any chance of a late fightback from Bedwas was soon quashed when Merthyr were awarded a penalty in front of the posts deep into injurytime, which they turned down and went for the catch and drive from the lineout which once again was rewarded as the Merthyr eight drove Bedwas backwards and hooker Rhys Williams peeled off to score Merthyr’s fourth try and important bonus point, replacement full back Matthew Jarvis converting from the touch line and Merthyr had run out winners 23-34.
For the Ironmen, it was once again the set piece that kept the pressure on the Bedwas scrum. Captain Craig Locke led by example well supported by young second row Ben Sier. Behind the scrum ex-Bedwas outside half Richard Powell controlled the game with his kicking skills and Merthyr had a match winner in Kristian Phillips.
The win keeps the Ironmen on top of the Premiership league table a point ahead of Pontypridd who they met in two weeks’ time. This weekend the Ironmen travel to Cardiff for their league fixture.
PRINCIPALITY PREMIERSHIP PONTYPRIDD .............. 59 LLANELLI .................... 14
LLANELLI enjoyed a wealth of early possession, pressing ever closer to the home line and finally making a breakthrough as full back Leon Randell barged over for a try which Lewis Williams converted.
Ponty were being penalised and committing errors, barely encroaching their opponents’ half during the first 10 minutes.
A snap attack by winger Alex Webber finally gave Ponty momentum upfield and it was Webber who then rounded off a wide attack to cross for a try.
The home team were moving up the gears, full back Dale Stuckey speeding over for a try which Diggy Bird converted on 18 minutes. Ponty were by now full of attacking intent, Webber going close in the corner before prop Keelan Marney was dispatched to the sin-bin, but then from a lineout steal No 8 Hemi Barnes charged over for another score.
Llanelli were able to respond, creating an overlap for winger Ryan Davies to cross wide out, the try well converted by Lewis Williams. As Ponty resumed on the offensive, Llanelli winger Kalum Evans was shown the yellow card, home pressure rewarded as Diggy Bird sniped through for a close range try which he then converted to register an interval scoreline of 24-14.
Ponty continued to advance into the second half, lock Chris Dicomidis galloping over wide out for a try which Bird again converted. The game’s momentum was halted during a lengthy delay before Llanelli outside half Lewis Williams was stretchered off. Normal service was resumed as Ponty countered after taking a high ball, Alex Webber racing to the try line, his score converted from a wide angle by Bird.
Ponty were striving hard to regain the initiative, a wide attack culminating in a try claimed by replacement Wayne Evans and converted by Bird. A Dafydd Lockyer break again took Ponty up to their opponents’ 22, a series of shunts to the line bringing the reward of a try claimed by hooker Huw Dowden and converted by Bird.
A dominant secondhalf display by Pontypridd was rounded off in style as Chris Dicomidis went over for a final score, converted by Diggy Bird.