SEASIDERS PROMOTION BID ON ICE
The wintry weather continues and while it probably won’t be on the scale of big freezes such as 1963, it’s already had a marked effect on the Seasiders’ league programme with three matches now up for re-arrangement.
The particular frustration for the Seasiders is that following the decisive 42-3 dismissal of Aberdare at the beginning of December, all these postponed matches were against promotion rivals. While there was no guarantee of such an outcome, if these games had been played and won, Penarth might already have established an unassailable lead at the head of the Div 3(SE) table.
Fair enough, that’s wild speculation, but a team displaying such fine form before onset of winter must be champing at the bit and keen to get on with the job in hand. Which makes the return of cup rugby this coming weekend a bit of a distraction, really.
Of course, there’s no guarantee that the tie will go ahead, but having disposed of St.Peters in the last round, it’s Aberdare who now stand between the Seasiders and a place in the last 16.
While an appearance in a Millennium Stadium final would mark an attractive end to the season, I suspect the club would prefer a place in Div 2(E) if there was a choice.
At least Penarth had the benefit of a run-out on Boxing Day and the 61-5 win over Treherbert certainly put down a metaphorical marker to remind everyone how good they’ve got when hostilities resume.
With only two league fixtures (against Fairwater and Pentyrch) scheduled now before the start of the Six Nations, it comes as something of a relief that at least one of the postponed matches has already been re-arranged and well before the end of the season.
The Seasiders will visit fifth-placed Heol y Cyw on Friday 12th February with a 7.15pm kick-off at the Greenfields ground. This is the weekend of the Wales v Scotland international.
The rest of the run-in to the end of the season looks pretty straightforward; whichever way you look at it, those postponed games hold the key to Penarth’s season.
Swalec Plate 3rd Round
Saturday 16th January 2010
PENARTH v ABERDARE
The Athletic Field, Lavernock Road. Kick-off 2.30pm