DIVISION 1 WEST
WAUNARLWYDD ........ 35 MAESTEG .................... 18
THERE are times in rugby, as in any sport, that no matter the effort put in things are not going to go your way.
This match, for the visitors, was one of those times.
It started well enough when Tadgh McGuckin slotted an early penalty and continued when a move saw Scott Hicks just held on the line. Tyler Dawe made a defence splitting run, and a break from a ruck 50 metres out saw the rampaging Cameron Davies ankle tapped when the line was beckoning.
A lost lineout on half way turned the tide as Waunarlwydd went blind and crossed for a converted try.
A second penalty from McGuckin reduced the deficit to one point and then came four defining moments.
A wheeling scrum five metres from the visitors line saw the ball shoot out into open play, Ryan Turner hacked it upfield and the referee amazingly yellow carded him and awarded a penalty try.
Maesteg then moved the ball from deep and Waun gave three penalties away in quick succession but McGuckin’s kicks from 60, 50, and 60 metres just shaded the posts on each occasion.
Maesteg increased the tempo and another threequarter move turned sour when the attempted kick over the top into acres of open space was charged down and the home centre had a 50 metre stroll to the line with added points.
The second period saw Maesteg increase the tempo and forward drives which gave a platform for the impressive Tyler Dawe to power over for outside half Harrison Evans to convert.
The visitors were back in contention and several phases of play were promising but on another day at least one of five passes deep in the home half would have stuck in the supporting players hands, but not today.
A long kick upfield by Waunarlwydd achieved a Maesteg throw-in at the lineout but the clearance kick out of defence failed to find touch and the home right wing gathered and shot through practically the whole of the the visitors team for a converted try.
Maesteg struck back with a number of moves by forwards and backs and it was then that “Memory Lane” happened.
He had scored his last try for the club on the April 12, 2008 against Cardiff, nearly 10 years to the day, and replacement wing Neil Dixon grate- fully took the pass from Scott Hicks to go over wide out.
A 12-point deficit but Maesteg went for it, and a sweeping attack then went sour as they lost the ball in the shadow of the posts and the home side ran it back into similar terrritory, where despite a number of defenders in position, the referee deemed an early tackle on the 22 metre line deserved another penalty try.
Let’s say, for the second time of the afternoon, not everyone agreed.