SEASIDERS WARY OF BANANA SKINS
After a week off and untroubled by international call-ups, the table-topping Seasiders are back in league action this Friday with a rearranged fixture at the Greenfields ground of Heol-y-Cyw.
This is one of the key fixtures in Penarth’s league run-in and although it’s nearly five months and 12 matches since they last tasted defeat in any competition, continuing the winning run indefinitely will be a tall order.
Even a team in such good all-round fettle as the Seasiders will eventually find themselves presented with a banana skin and Heol-y-Cyw are fully paid-up members of that club. Inspired, we are told, by wily international veteran Allan Bateman, they have steadily climbed the table and now sit in fifth place, just behind Tylorstown and Aberdare.
But make no mistake, the only part they’ll actually play in the promotion race will be tripping up the real contenders, as they’re fully 18 points adrift of Penarth, with a single game in hand and only ten games to make up the difference. Their record in one-off encounters is rather better, though and they followed up a 23-16 win at Aberdare in November with a stunning 14-3 victory at St.Peters.
The latter result strengthened the Seasiders’ grip on top spot after their own 61-5 demolition of Treherbert a week earlier and now it’s just a matter of taking it a game at a time with a steady nerve.
This is the first of three away fixtures as Penarth head up Taff Vale to meet Div 2(E) Rhydyfelin in the last 16 of the Swalec Plate a week later.
Congratulations are due to Penarth RFC for reaching the ¼ finals of the Silver Ball Competition. Penarth RFC have been drawn aginst Tondu RFC. The game is to be played on a Wednesday during March, date to be agreed with Tondu. The venue could possibly be Llanharan RFC. The winner of that game will play against either Trebanos or Bridgend Sports in the semi final which will be played on a Wednesday in April.
In the other half of the draw, Skewen will meet Pontardawe and Aberavon Greenstars meet Tonmawr. Winners of each of these games will play against one another in the semi-finals.
The final of the competition will be played at the Brewery Field on Saturday 29th May.
Heol-y-Cyw v PENARTH
Greenfields, High Street, Heol-y-Cyw, Bridgend.
Kick-off 7.15pm