Match Report - 10th September 2011

Cefn Coed 1st XV 27 v Old Penarthians 1st XV 5 (SWALEC League)

Another On Saturday the Old Penarthians first XV visited the ‘Black Patch’ at Cefn Coed and under black rain clouds that ensured the players were fully aware that autumn had arrived, the general mood on departing from this Division 5SE fixture was also quite dark.  Coach Jeff Norman considered that this was a game that could have, and possibly should have, been won after a very good first half which had seen the team lead by 5 point to 3 at the interval.  However game plans set were not followed through and despite the elements being in favour of the visitors in the second half the Old Penarthians could not capitalise and were eventually defeated by 27 points to 5.  It should however not all be considered to be ‘doom and gloom’ and there were signs that the side are beginning to gel and the overall performance was an improvement on the previous week at home to Clwb Rygbi Caerdydd.

Players returning to the side for their first outings of the season included Tony Kemp and Tom Draper but there were also changes from the selected team after the withdrawal of Stuart Clarke through illness. This saw a reorganisation of the pack with James Williams taking up the number six duties and Tim Ursell having to go back into the second row having been picked at number eight.  Late train arrivals from London also meant that Tim Naylor could not take his place in the starting line-up and last year’s ever-present centre Jon Crimp stepped up from the substitutes’ bench to re-establish his partnership with first team skipper, Mark Sadler.

These changes did not seem to affect the attitude of the players and they started positively both in attack and defence where their discipline forced the first errors from the Cefn Coed forwards resulting in a long range penalty from Scott McCarthy that unfortunately went wide of the posts.  It was not long however before an attacking position in mid field saw a set move come to fruition with Mark Sadler taking the ball forward into the opposition centres and as the tackle was made he offloaded to full back Draper who sped through from twenty yards to score a well worked try.  The conversion was pushed wide by the wind but with the lineout and the scrummage operating well Penarthians supporters driven under the shelter of the changing rooms by the driving rain were warmed by the intent shown by the side.  Paul Rapley in particular was having an excellent game, obviously making the most of the British weather before captaining his scheduled aircraft to the warmer and but less exotic charms of Brazil.

Others performing well in the forwards were the front row of Lee Brennan, Rob Benson and Steve Webber, who at this stage were dominating their opposition at the scrum and sharing in the work in the loose.  Unfortunately it was the forwards that were penalised for offside just before the break and full back James Hennessey kicked a penalty to make the difference only two points at half time.

The second half did not start well and within two minutes the defence was broken and centre Daniel Lewis scored a try with James Hennessey adding the conversion.  This seemed to galvanise the home team and at the same time the Old Boys became dispirited.  Much of the shape that was so sound in the first half started to become ragged and except for good tackling from Tony Kemp, enjoying the freedom offered by playing second row, James Cosslett and Jon Crimp the Cefn Coed team would have been further ahead.  Other scores did in fact follow on nine and seventeen minutes, with a try from flanker Alex James and a conversion and penalty from Hennessey.  There followed a  period where the team refocused and a couple of probing kicks by veteran scrum half Mark Bow, whose daughter recently celebrated her nineteenth birthday, and good chases by Richie Moir and Lloyd Davey led to some pressure in the opposition twenty-two, but it was too little to make a difference and the effort could not be sustained.

The coach tried to revitalise the team with the introduction of the substitutes but even the fleet-footed, nearly retired Simon Davies at scrum half and the train delayed Naylor could not turn around the game or the weather.  In fact, at this stage of the game much of the match was being played in the Old Pens twenty-two which meant that an attacking platform could not be created despite the efforts of ball carrier Tim Ursall.  Other late replacements saw Dave Owen and Dean Pratt have their first games of the season but it was not one that Dean will remember with much affection, if at all, because in making a tackle near his own line he was rendered unconscious and was taken from the field unaware of his surroundings.  His condition did not improve in the changing room and a visit to hospital and a four hour wait under the watchful eye of Chairman Mel Jones diagnosed that he would be unavailable for the next three weeks.  That may yet be a longer period if his mother has anything to do with it!!

The final score of the game went to Cefn Coed with a try on 36 minutes for prop Daniel Kent, again converted by Hennessey.  In some ways this was a disappointment, but Mark Sadler tried to rally his troops after the match by indicating that the opposition were strong contenders in the league last season and will probably figure again this year so it was an encouraging performance.  New statistician John Gullet revealed that the top tackler on the day was James Cosslett and the team management also declared him to be joint man of the match with Brazil-bound Rapley.  Others who can be pleased with their performances were ‘Nuggett’ (not Martyn) Williams playing in an unaccustomed back row role, Mark Bow and Tony Kemp.

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