YOUTH BB League: Pentyrch 15 - 18 Pontypridd Youth (1)

Ponty travelled to Pentyrch on Saturday facing a mammoth task. Pentyrch are currently riding high at the top of division 2 of the National youth leagues, having been unbeaten in a league match for 18 months, and have already made the quarter final of the cup this season.

Pentyrch had requested the game take place with passive scrums due to injuries amongst their props, and this was agreed by the WRU before kick off. Ponty had an injury crisis of their own having forwards Dean Maisey, Christian Hitt, Marc Jones, James Sullivan, Geraint Rowley, Nathaniel Williams, Dean Brown and Ryan Owen all unavailable for the fixture, with backs, James Mountjoy, Stephen Parker and Aaron Sterverson also missing.

So it was a new look Ponty side travelled to Pentyrch with youth 2 players Aaron Atkins and Lee Griffiths added to the senior squad. With the injury crisis, hooker Ross Griffiths stepped into emergency duty at prop, with the versatile Alun Thomas packing down at lock and his place at 6 was taken by Aaron Atkins, with Sam Studley moving from scrum half to no 8.

Ponty started well and weathered the early storm from Pentyrch who seemed determined top try to batter Ponty into submission by adopting a driving game using their big pack of forwards, but the Ponty defence was magnificent and they stopped attack after attack. Ponty had the advantage of a very strong wind in the first half and were able to use this to clear their lines with a kick from wing Nathan Evans who was nearly caught in possession deep in his own goal area.

Ponty seemed to raise their game after this let off and soon opened the scoring. Ponty were without all their first choice jumpers and lifters in the pack, but from a Pentyrch line out near half way, Ponty's Owain Kingsbury was able to steal a Pentyrch throw allowing Ponty to launch a brilliant attack from captain Lewis Smith, who when tackled found Sam Studley in support.

Studley was brilliantly tackled near the edge of the 22 but showed great skill to get a scoring pass to the supporting Ross Griffiths who sprinted 20 metres to score under the posts. Rhys Simms added the conversion and Ponty were 7 points in front. Ponty were quickly back on the attack and when Pentyrch were penalised for handling at the ruck, Simms was able to use the wind to land a long distance penalty to take the score to 10 – nil.

Ponty were growing in confidence and should have had another try only minutes later. With Pentyrch using a blitz defence, flyhalf Smith turned the defence with a clever little chip near half way, that was collected by the impressive Dan Dearden, who with Billy Waters in support and only the full back to beat looked destined to score, however a fantastic tackle from the full back prevented Dearden from getting enough weight on the pass and the ball was agonisingly knocked forward yards from the line.

Pentyrch seemed galvanised by this let off and scored their first points courtesy of a Ponty mistake. Ponty had set up a ruck near their own 22, but with many of the backs still retreating into an on side position, Ponty hastily threw a wild pass back to lock Owain Kingsbury who wasn't expecting the pass. The ball was turned over and Pentyrch spun the ball quickly left where they had numbers and were able to clinically finish the move near the corner flag, although the kick fell short in the strong wind.

Pentyrch were able to close the gap further with the last play of the first half. Ponty were penalised for killing the ball near their own 10 metres line. Pentyrch took a quick tap and with Ponty failing to retreat the referee awarded another penalty much closer to the posts that was superbly kicked into a difficult wind, to end the half Pentyrch 8 Pontypridd 10.

Ponty introduced some fresh legs at half time with Sam Oliver replacing Cai Daniel at hooker and Lee Griffiths replacing Dale Pugh at prop. The half started similarly to the first, with Ponty under intense pressure deep in their half, however fantastic defence from Thomas, Atkins, Gristock, Griffiths and Studley stopped attack after attack, although with the strong wind against them, Ponty were now struggling to clear their lines.

However the Ponty side are a pretty resilient bunch these days and after taking play up to half way, Ponty were able to extend their lead further. From a scrum, Atkins, Studley and Gristock used a back row move to cross the gain line and set up a ruck close to the left wing. Scrum half Billy Waters spotted there was a gap on the blindside, and accelerated away, chipping the wing, before collecting his own kick and using sheer pace, rounded the full back for a superb individual try. Simms was agonisingly short with the conversion that caught on the wind and dropped just under the cross bar. Pentyrch 8 Pontypridd 15.

Pentyrch went back on the attack determined not to lose their unbeaten record, and were soon rewarded in controversial fashion after another Ponty mistake. The Ponty midfield spilled possession near the half way and it was hacked ahead by the Pentyrch centre, the ball crossed the try line with Ponty wing Drew Evans, the Penyrch centre and Dan Dearden all chasing.

Evans and the Pentyrch player both dived for the ball and both claimed to have touched down first. The referee was at least 20 metres away and was unsighted so he decided to let play continue. The ball was scooped up by Dearden who ran behind the posts before launching a clearance kick into touch. Under protests from the Pentyrch players and Pentyrch supporters stood behind the posts, the referee called both captains together and announced that he had decided to award a try! 

The conversion was good and the scores were now tied at 15 all with less than 10 minutes to go. Ponty's heads seemed to drop with this decision and Evans was angry as he clearly felt he had grounded the ball but that the supporters protests had influenced the referee's decision. With a final throw of the dice, Ponty introduced Mike Davies at flanker switching Studley to scrum half and Waters to the wing in place of the disappointed Evans, and introduced Rhys Ashman onto the right wing.

Davies is a prefect player for trying to tie a game down, and the coaches felt his introduction would be essential if Ponty were to come away from the game with a share of the spoils. Ponty were again under intense pressure and with Pentyrch camped in the Ponty 22 and with the wind in their favour it seemed a score was inevitable, but when Mike Davies managed to rob Pentyrch of possession at a ruck just metres from the Ponty line, Ponty were able to smash a kick downfield to try clear their lines, which although didn't find touch, was knocked on by the Pentyrch player trying to field the kick, allowing Ponty a scrum on half way.

A moment of madness then gave Ponty the chance they needed, a Pentyrch player needlessly knocked the ball out of Sam Studleys hands as the scrum was being formed. The referee awarded a penalty to Ponty and when the Pentyrch player argued at the decision, the penalty was advanced 10 metres. With the Ponty coaches calling for a kick at goal, Captain Lewis Smith consulted with goalkicker Simms before kicking toward the corner as, with the strength of the wind, Simms sensibly felt the kick was too difficult.

At the resulting line out, Ponty tried a set move, and although it didn't come off, Pentyrch were judged to have knocked the ball on and a scrum was awarded to Ponty just outside the 22 with the referee stating it was the last play of the day. Captain Smith called on the players to get him close to the posts for a drop goal, and the back row responded with Aaron Atkins picking up from the base of the scrum and driving towards the posts, with the wind so strong Ponty knew they had to get very close, but as it was the last play they couldn't afford to lose possession or knock on.

Great play from the pack saw them pick and drive the ball inch by inch closer to the try line, bossed and bullied by the magnificent Studley who was orchestrating the drives like a general. As Ponty got close and closer to the Pentyrch posts, captain Smith called for the ball for the snap drop goal, but before Studley could give the pass, a desperate Pentyrch defender dived into the ruck to kill the ball, with the referee instantly awarding a penalty.

With nerves of steel and into a blistering wind, Simms converted the kick from 20 meters to win the game and bring Pentyrchs outstanding league run to a shuddering halt. This was a magnificent efforts from all 19 players who were involved on the day and every one of them would be worthy of the man of the match award.

Many of the players such as Rhys Ashman and Drew Evans were playing their first game for many months, and other fringe players came into the first team and really stood up and were counted, showing the coaches they deserve more chances in the first team. The whole pack were fantastic and although clearly struggling without their regular line out specialist jumpers and lifters, never gave up and tackled their hearts out to make up for lost set piece play, with young Lee "canonball" Griffths putting in an eye catching performance in the second half.…

The three quarter line were also outstanding with Deardon and Egal looking accomplished, whilst Studley, Smith, Waters and Simms seem to grow in confidence week by week. Man of the match this week is shared by Aaron Atkins who stepped in at short notice to give a heroic defensive display and Ross Griffiths who despite playing out of position, put his body on the line time after time and scored a well deserved try.

TRY Scorers for Pontypridd: Ross Griffiths and Billy Waters. 

Rhys Simms kicked 1 conversion and 2 penalties.

MATCH PHOTOS

[REPORT BY: Sean Oliver, Senior Youth Coach] 

Comments (1)

	1. 03-03-2008 16:56
	Guest

John

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