WEST CENTRAL
MAESTEG QUINS ....... 25 YSTALYFERA .............. 10
IT WAS a scintillating opening for the Quins.
Rhodri Davies broke and Dean Ronan followed up. ‘Fera’s full-back tried to deal with a kick ahead as a host of Quins men bore down on him. Winning back possession, Lewis Tutt scored in the corner and Davies converted all within 90 seconds.
Ystalyfera regrouped yet remained on the back foot. Tenacious tack- les and handling errors halted some slick Quins moves.
Beginning to claw their way into the game, ’Fera kept possession for long periods, expending lots of energy in the process for no material gain.
Rhodri Bwye’s anticipation saw him intercept. Realising how far he had to run, Bwye passed but timed his support to perfection to retake the ball inside the opponents “red zone”, only to be stripped of possession.
Geraint Evans ruptured the gain-line and teased as he weaved among the defenders. Ben Davies offered outside support and the scrum-half sped 30 yards up the line to the corner.
’Fera conceded a number of kickable penalties and were fortunate the attempts drifted wide, until the Quins gleaned a scrum penalty and Daives goaled for a 15-0 lead.
In the second half Quins continued to shut ’Fera out, until a defender went through at the side of a ruck. Steffan Castle slotted to open ’Fera’s account.
Both lineouts were well contested. So too the back-row clash. The sextet of back rowers produced a special contest. Again Lewis Tutt and visiting Steffan Jones stood out.
’Fera stole possession and Mark Scott embarked on an 80-yards race to the line.
With nobody in front of him when he reached halfway, the speedy threequarter looked likely to score.
Suddenly Lee Ronan appeared. Locking onto the centre’s scorching jet stream. The Quins centre honed in and downed the carrier in a spectacular piece of cover defence.
A ruck offence allowed Rhodri Davies to kick the Quins to 18 points.
Collecting a rushed clearance, Lloyd Bradley’s angled run led to a switch with Aled Edwards and quick ruck recycling found Rhodri Davies. Surveying the defence, his cross-kick exposed a huge gap out wide.
Lurking with intent was Dean Ronan who, despite the tricky trajectory, expertly gathered the ball like a Kodiak bear snatching a slippery salmon to score. Davies converted.
Refereeing the robustly contested scrum was difficult. Believing the Quins guilty of scrum skulduggery, ’Fera ended the match with a penalty try.
This was a tough game between Division One title challengers. Quins now have to reach 91 points, 12 from the next five games to lift the Division One title.
They face Ammanford tonight (Wednesday, May 2), Bridgend Athletic (Saturday, May 5), visit Ystalyfera’s Ynysdarren home (May 12) and have the High Motive Silver Ball final at the Morganstone Brewery Field (May 19).