Old Firm give travelling fans something to cheer about

DIVISION 1 EAST CENTRAL LLANTRISANT ............ 13 MOUNTAIN ASH ......... 20

ALTHOUGH the Old Firm played up the slope in the first half of this Division 1 East Central game, it was two pieces of sloppy play which gave the hosts a couple of scoring chances which they took with penalties from 40 and 25 metre penalties respectively to go in front 6-0 after 10 minutes.

After 15 minutes the home defence was tested for the first time when outside half Liam Jones jinked past a couple of close-in defenders at a maul to give the Old Firm go-forward for the first time in the match.

A turnover on the Llantrisant 22 saw flanker David Richards and prop Lee Butts move the ball quickly to outside half Jones who took play to 15 metres out where flanker Jordan Coxley was quickly up in support.

A penalty to the Old Firm was kicked to the corner and after a take by No.8 and captain Kriss Sanders was driven on, a snipe by scrum half Ross Davies saw the ball recycled for tighthead prop Jack James to drive over for the try, which full back Jack Roberts converted from 15 metres in, to put Mount 7-6 in front after 18 minutes. The Old Firm were defending Llantrisant attacks well with virtually no attack breaking through.

After Mount had taken play up to the home 22 where they were awarded a penalty which scrum half Ross Davies took quickly to race through a number of home defenders, he appeared to be high tackled 10 metres out under the posts. The game continued with the Old Firm taking play up to 5 metres out where the home team were awarded a scrum and cleared to 15 metres out.

Another catch and drive had the home team going backwards and they were lucky to get away without sanction. With five minutes to half time, centre Alex Hughes broke through and passed on to scrum half Davies, who chose to kick past the full back rather than pass, but the ball bounced agonisingly outside the dead ball line, eluding chasing flanker David Richards.

A dropped pass in midfield and a knock-on in the Mount half saw Llantrisant take play into the Old Firm’s 22 for the first time in 15 minutes. A lineout saw the Mount line put under pressure which led to a 5 metre scrum and a penalty try awarded to the home team right on time, to make it 13-7 to Llantrisant at the break.

Once again, a slow start and mistakes by the Old Firm allowed the home team to take the initiative and take play up to the Mount 22 where the Old Firm had to defend an attack.

Youth player Morgan Cartwright came on as a substitute and immediately made an impact, adding an extra dimension to the Mount attack. Patient driving play by the Old Firm forwards gained 15 metres and led to the home team conceding a 35 metre penalty which full back Roberts kicked to bring Mount back to 13-10 down after 58 minutes.

From a scrum just outside the Mount 22, scrum half Ross Davies went to the short side where he gave to wing Morgan Cartwright who showed a nice piece of skill to chip over his opposite number, gather the ball, and take play into the Llantrisant 22 where the Mount forwards were quickly in for the ball to be moved quickly.

The home side conceded another penalty, this time Roberts kicking it from 20 metres to draw the scores level at 13-13 after 63 minutes.

The home side responded by taking play up to the Mount 22 but some excellent ripping by centre Alex Hughes secured a turnover for the Old Firm to clear.

Scrum half Davies and wing Cartwright combined at a scrum on halfway for Cartwright to turn the Llantrisant defence and put it under pressure with a well-placed kick through. From a maul, second row Jarrod Parfitt peeled away and started a passing movement down the line into the Llantrisant 22.

A long kick out of defence by the home team saw Mount wing Cartwright beat a couple of defenders to start another attack which took play back into the Llantrisant 22.

With the game entering the final minutes, a long kick up to the Mount 22 saw second row Adam Parry take the ball at pace to break through in the middle of the field and link with scrum half Ross Davies who handed on to centre Alex Hughes.

Outside half Liam Jones, showed excellent vision to place a beautifully judged crossfield kick into acres of space over the try line for chasing wing, Youth player Owen Jenkins, to touch down to a great roar from the Mount support.

Full back Jack Roberts put the icing on the cake with a well struck touchline conversion to seal victory for the Old Firm and take them within striking distance of Dinas Powys, who sit in 5th place in the Division 1 East Central table.

All at the Mount club would like to congratulate Youth centre Jarrod Cushion on his selection for Crawshays Youth for their trip to Portugal for the annual rugby union tournament held there.

This Saturday, the Old Firm travel to Rhiwbina for a Division 1 East Central game, the 2nd XV are at home to Dowlais 2nd XV in the Rhondda and East Glamorgan League, and the Youth are looking for a game. All games kick off at 2:30pm.