Fixture

Penarth RFC | 1st Team 19 - 21 Brecon RFC | 1st Team
Jake Mitchell Newman
1 Try
Joey Joseph Morgan
1 Try
Gari Davies
3 Conversion
Richard Lucas Jones
1 Try

Match Report
11 January 2015 / Team News

Penarth 19 - Brecon 21

Following a great win against third placed Pontyclun the previous week, Brecon made the long journey to Penarth with great expectation. The lowly ninth place in the league suggested that the seasiders have not enjoyed a hugely successful first half to the season. That allied to the fact that on a number of occasions they have been unable to field a full front row or have had no front row cover on the bench suggested that Brecon would not have too many problems in maintaining their 100% away record. Any such thoughts, however, were quickly dispelled as Penarth put up a tremendous fight which saw them within one score of taking a prestigious scalp. When the final whistle sounded it was the Brecon team which breathed a sigh of relief as they earned the narrowest of victories in a match where the nine league place difference was hardly obvious to the casual spectator.

For most of the season the Brecon scrum has been a potent weapon. Apart from providing a firm stable platform from which front foot ball has been available it has been a major offensive weapon in its own right. Out of a total of six penalty tries five have been scored directly as a result of the pack’s scrummage power. It was hardly credible, therefore, to see the pack being shunted back time and again and for the side to concede a scrum push over try and a penalty try for collapsing under severe pressure.

The srummage problem was the core of Brecon’s difficulties put it was not the only reason that Brecon failed to reach the high standards of late. Far too often in the second half, when Brecon held a slender lead but faced a stiff wind, they kicked away possession after having worked hard to get into opposition territory. The free ball offered to their opponents was the quickly dispatched back down the field forcing Brecon to have to re-build from deep in their own territory.

Penarth too added to Brecon’s woes as they played a simple game very effectively. Once they gained a foothold in the Brecon half they kept the ball tight and recycled well gaining ground at a snail’s pace but still gaining ground. To do credit to Brecon, in spite of the efficiency of the Penarth tactic Brecon’s defence resisted thanks to some whole hearted tackling and a couple of great turnovers initiated by replacement front row players Ryan Harris and Andy Nicholl.

The early stages of the match hardly indicated what a battle it was to become. Brecon started brightly. With the wind at their backs full back Celfyn Davies looked sharp and the team showed a lot of enterprise. They quickly ensured that their superiority was reflected on the score board when off a Gari Davies short flat pass Eifion Jones crashed through the centre of the home defence. Hauled down just short of the line he managed to offload to wing Joey Morgan who was on his shoulder. Morgan easily crossed for the opening try which Gari Davies converted.

At this stage everything looked rosy for the league leaders but the picture quickly changed. Brecon failed to clear the ball from the kick off but they seemed in no danger as a scrum was formed on their ten metre line. Within seconds the whole scenario changed. The Brecon scrum was driven off the ball and Penarth took advantage, carrying the ball deep into the Brecon 22. When Brecon were penalised at the next scrum Penarth had no hesitation in going for another scrummage and their pack proved the decision to be a correct one as they drove Brecon over the line, allowing Number 8 Elliot Smith to dot the ball down for an unconverted score.

Was this just a blip as far as Brecon was concerned? It certainly seemed to be as they quickly re-asserted themselves and soon went further ahead on the score board. A beautifully weighted kick through by Jake Newman was gathered almost on the try line by defending wing, Nathan Palmer. His opposite number, Jake Crocket made the tackle and drove Palmer back over the line where he attempted a pass which, under such severe pressure, was never on. The ball fell loose and Newman dotted it down for a simple try. Davies converted from wide out.

Normal service had been resumed, or so the Brecon faithful hoped but the hope was short lived. When Penarth gained a penalty and went for the corner anxiety crept into Brecon’s game. Second row, Danny Howe, who had a great game, stole the line out but a poor pass was dropped and Penarth eagerly anticipated the attacking scrum. Brecon were driven back and penalised. Another scrum on 5 metres collapsed and referee Kelvin Shorte immediately signalled a penalty try which hooker James Doherty converted.

Just two points down Penarth now took the pragmatic approach and kept the game tight into the wind. Brecon were starved of possession and although they never looked like conceding another score neither did the look like scoring themselves when they had the wind advantage.

Turning around to face the wind in the second half with just a two point advantage was not the scenario anyone anticipated at the start of the game.

Penarth certainly turned the screw. They drove off line outs and around the fringes of rucks and put Brecon under severe pressure and yet the defence held. When Brecon worked their way back up-field all too often they were pegged back after they surrendered possession by kicking ahead and yet they still held out with Howe making some important steals in the line out and with the scrum steadily improving. Two important turnovers also contributed and gradually the back row of Craig Davies, Dafydd Thomas and Davey Herdman became more prominent with ball in hand as the base they operated off began to stabilise.

At last in opposition territory they began to look more themselves and a critical score came as a result of some great attacking play. Eifion Jones made a great break and managed to stay infield when he had little room in which to work. When the cover came he managed to pass the ball infield to young second row Eifion Phillips who took the pass brilliantly and headed for the line. He was caught just short but win Lucas Jones was on hand to pick up and stroll over. Davies again converted.

Nine points clear and with time running out Brecon were more comfortable but Penarth were not finished. From the kick off they won a penalty which they kicked to the corner. They drove off the line out but Brecon held. They then drove repeatedly through their forwards, sucking in the defence and then did something unexpected. They moved the ball wide and Brecon were caught with no wide cover allowing centre Kevin Maddox an easy run in. Docherty converted and the gap returned to just a two point difference.

Penarth then had one final chance to win the game. Earning a penalty on the ten metre line and 15 metres in from the touch line Docherty lined up the kick with the Brecon faithful hardly able to look. The ball sailed wide and Brecon escaped from their half to pressurise the home line. With the last play of the game Brecon went for a penalty to the corner. Their drive off the line out was halted just short and when the ball was delivered from the ruck such was the feeling of relief that they opted to run the ball into touch rather than go for the bonus try.

Victory had been achieved but not in the way of recent weeks. Another away game at Pentyrch next week will hopefully see the team return to somewhere near their best form but they surely will have learned that nothing can be taken for granted.

Players
|