UNBEATEN PENARTH LEAD THE WAY
PENARTH (7) 36 Rydyfelin (7) 7
What can you say about a team who are still racing ahead of the Div 1 EC competition and looking supremely well-organised, Who, on the other hand only managed to pull away in this one-sided game with three late tries. Rhydyfelin were so limited in their challenge that, apart from a bizarre interception try, they never once looked as if they were actually going to score anything.
All the aggression and intent that saw them beat Penarth 51-13 back in February was present, a defeat that effectively marked the end of the promotion push, but there was absolutely no comparison between the sides this time.
In a torrential downpour from the kick-off, Penarth were showing their defensive excellence and attacking intent in spite of the conditions. They were already besting the visitors in the scrum, a dominance that would continue throughout. When a penalty award in front of the posts was taken as a scrum, the writing was clearly on the wall as the Rydyfelin eight were shunted back and Spencer Robinson scored after eight minutes,
The rain continued and both sides were prone to the sort of errors that will always keep the score down, so it wasn’t until the 25th minute that the next score arrived. This was the one bright spot in the visitors’ afternoon as Penarth tapped a penalty on the on the 10m line and then threw a long pass straight into the arms of their left wing who ran it in from 60m to ensure an unlikely half- time score of 7-7.
In the second half, things were becoming a little fractious, as neither side was benefitting from the referee’s constant interventions. Penarth continued to dominate, but were only occasionally allowed enough continuity to add to the score. Luc Keane-Adams showed one way to by-pass all this as he snatched a ball out of the air, side-stepped his marker and hared down the line for a touch-down in the corner.
A rare line-out penalty for Penarth soon led to the third try as Robinson dodged around the referee and threw a pin-point long pass out to Ben Jones, who scorched in from 40 metres. The score was now a more comfortable 17-7, but the stop-start nature of the game meant that we had to wait fully twenty minutes for the next score.
This time the pack had it all their own way as they monstered a scrum 10m out. Rhydyfelin had no answer to this and momentum carried Penarth over for an Owen Lloyd try and a hard-won bonus point.
In the last 12 minutes, Rhydyfelin had completely run out of ideas, while Penarth were still full of life. The visitors won a scrum in their own 22, but that was never going to end well for them. Under immense pressure, the ball shot out backwards with Ellis Smith in hot pursuit. No contest, the blindside flanker grounded cleanly for the fifth try.
Penarth kept on coming. A certain try from a flowing three-quarter move was denied for a forward pass and yet another scrum destruction was disallowed for a Penarth infringement. At last, Alex Abel was permitted to charge over and complete the scoring from a scrum as Rhydyfelin disintegrated.
Next week, Penarth take a break from dominating Div 1 East Central, as they travel to face Abercwmboi in the Division 1 Cup. The Cynon Valley side have not enjoyed their start to the season as much as Penarth have. Having played three and lost three, they prop up the table.
Penarth: Ben Jones, Luc Keane-Adams (Joe Williams), Andy Richards, Osian Coates, Harry Williams, James Candy (Rhys Gant), Spencer Robinson, Geraint Williams (Sam Sully), Tom Griffiths (Ethan Barry), Alan Doyle, Dan Cahalane, Will Odgers, Ellis Smith, Owen Lloyd, Alex Abel.
Scorers: Luc Keane-Adams (try), Ben Jones (try, 3 conversions), Owen Lloyd (try), Ellis Smith (try), Alex Abel (try), Spencer Robinson (try).
© Peter Weston 21-Sep-25
