WRU NATIONAL PLATE ROUND ONE
MOUNTAIN ASH ......... 33 LLANTRISANT ............ 12
THE Old Firm inflicted a first defeat of the season on Llantrisant to move into the second round of the Swalec Plate.
Mount dominated most of the territory throughout the game, and although scoring four tries, did not make the most of the chances on offer. Throughout, the Old Firm showed a willingness to attack from all parts of the field and made good ground with some nice passing movements. One of them came after just three minutes when full back Will Holley started a counter-attack from a Llantrisant kick into the Mount half. Quick ball from a ruck saw flanker Matthew Dixon involved twice, giving a nice pass to take advantage of an overlap and then supporting the runner and taking the ball on into the visitors’ 22. The ball was moved wide to Holley, who made a half-break and gave an overhead pass to centre Steve Brittain who scored his first senior try for the club in the corner. Holley kicked a superb conversion from the touchline to make it 7-0.
Llantrisant were trying to break into the Mount half but a cracking tackle by centre Brittain stopped the attack in its tracks. A 40m penalty after 10 minutes by Holley increased Mount’s lead to 10-0.
Llantrisant put together their first sustained attack shortly after but were met by a determined Mount defence. Little errors and wrong options cost the Old Firm several promising attacking positions, and as the half came to a close, severe Mount pressure on the Llantrisant line saw the visitors somehow survive it to go into half time 10-0 down.
A 15m driving maul at the start of the second half led to a penalty 35m out which Holley converted with a well-struck kick to take the lead up to 130. A kick-on by Matthew Dixon from a scrum and quick following up gained a foothold for the Old Firm in the Llantrisant 22, which led to another penalty award which was converted by Holley from 35m to make it 16-0.
After the Mount defence had to react quickly to a rare Llantrisant attack which took play to just 10m out, another attack in which prop James Cowdry made good ground took play into the Llantrisant 22, but once again the visitors were left off the hook by imprecision. A well-judged diagonal chip over the visitors’ defence by scrum half Liam Jones saw second row David Richards quickly up and it was only a desperate tackle 5m out which stopped him scoring. From the lineout, a catch and drive saw prop forward James Cowdry peel over for the second try of the day and his fourth of the season to make it 21-0 after 67 minutes, Holley’s conversion from the touchline hitting an upright.
A knock-on and some slack tackling by the Old Firm was taken full advantage of by Llantrisant with a try in the corner by full back Jack Bunyan, well converted by outside half Morgan Raison after 72 minutes which made it 21-7. The Old Firm responded immediately from the restart, and after a couple of drives involving prop Thomas Harper and No 8 and captain Kriss Sanders, second row Sean Moore burst through the centre of a ruck to sprint 25m unopposed for a try near the posts to make it 26-7.
The Old Firm’s fourth try was the best of the day. After an attack and a half-break by centre Alex Hughes which took play up to the Llantrisant 10m line, the ball was quickly moved wide by second row Moore, hooker Liam Attwell and flanker Kieron Davies to full back Will Holley, who made sure of the try by unselfishly passing to wing Sean Williams, who scored a simple, but well-taken try in the corner. Holley converted to make the score 33-7, but Llantrisant had the last word. A misdirected pass on the Mount 22 was taken full advantage of, outside half Morgan Raison touching down to finish the scoring and make the score 33-12 to the Old Firm.
Mountain Ash Athletic welcomed Penygraig 2nd XV to Caedrawnant and put in their best performance of the season.
Both forwards and backs contributed to the 43-12 win. Six tries were scored in total through prop Thomas Evans, centre Kurtis Griffiths, flanker Dean Bevan, wings Curtis Williams and Samuel Akintioye, and hooker Jordan Howe. Outside half Declan Conway continued his good kicking form with five conversions and a penalty.
Mountain Ash Youth won their third Blues League game from four starts against last season’s Welsh Youth Cup winners, Cowbridge Youth.
Although the visitors had most of the possession, they had little change out of the Mount defence, which was well organised and committed.
The Young Firm made the most of their limited possession to score three tries from hooker TJ Stokes, centre Kieron Hawkins and wing Rhys Davies. Full back and captain Jack Roberts also kicked a penalty to see the Young Firm home 18-10.
This Saturday Rumney visit Duffryn Pennar Park for a Division 1 East Central fixture, the 2nd XV visit Rhydyfelin, and the Youth go to Pontypridd for a Blues League fixture. All games kick off at 2.30pm.