SEASIDERS IN PROMOTION CURTAIN-CALL
Nearly a month after their final league game, the Seasiders are now approaching the final hurdle in a long and so far successful season, with only Abergavenny standing between them and a well-deserved place in Division 2 East.
Fleur-de-Lys and Tylorstown have already booked their places as champions of 3 East and South-East respectively and the runners-up now face each other in a play-off at a neutral ground this coming Saturday.
The venue has now been announced and it’s Pandy Park, the home of Premier Division club Cross Keys. Sitting almost exactly half-way on a straight line drawn between Penarth and Abergavenny, with a delightful riverside location, it’s an excellent choice.
Apart from anything else, Penarth supporters will have pleasant memories of the last time the Seasiders played there, when they were last in Division 2 back in the early 90s. The Keys were newly-promoted to the old First Division, while Penarth were heading rapidly in the opposite direction. The visitors turned in a stunning display of attacking rugby and ran out winners by something like 29-12.
This game’s rather different and has everything riding on it, being pretty much both clubs’ cup final. The Seasiders finished the season with a seven-match undefeated run, but the two draws away to Heol-y-Cyw and Aberdare were all part of the story of how they missed out on the championship. Abergavenny fared slightly better, finishing with a run of 11 wins, but several of these were by narrow margins.
Overall, the teams would appear to be very evenly matched, so it will all come down to steady nerves and the will to win. The sort of combination that delivered the 11-6 win at Penrhys Park, only this time there are no bonus point calculations to cloud the issue – it’s winner takes all on this day of destiny for the Seasiders.
Swalec League Division 3 Play-off
Saturday 22nd May 2010
PENARTH v Abergavenny
Cross Keys RFC
Pandy Park,
Woodward Avenue
CROSSKEYS NP11 7BS
Kick-off 2.30pm