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Ystrad
Rhondda 17 Llanharan 21
The Llanharan website stated that Ystrad are arguably the
form side in Division One so it took a massive effort by
Dennis John’s men to grind out a narrow win &
further cement Llanharan’s third place in the League.
For Ystrad the first half followed a familiar pattern of
play with scrum half Mark Jones adopting an up tempo game
to good effect with his trademark quick penalties, number
eight Hetherington got through his usual amount of work
proving especially hard to bring down when breaking off
the back of the scrum & outside half Wayne Jervis potentially
playing his last game for the club, Wayne has been a real
asset both on & off the field & his input will be
sorely missed, nursing his pack forward with his impressive
right boot.
It was a Jervis penalty which got the scoreboard ticking
before his opposite number Ross Pearce converted from a
similar distance. With the home team down a man due to scrum
half Jones receiving a yellow card for deliberately stopping
a quick penalty Llanharan built up a 3-14 half time lead
courtesy of a further two Pearce penalties plus a try.
Flanker Masin Al Azzawi has shown huge improvement as the
season has progressed & he played a part in Ystrad’s
first try, Hetherington picking up from a midfield scrum,
brushing aside a couple of defenders & finding Masin
in support, the rangy back rower raced into the Llanharan
twenty-two where he offloaded to energetic second row Nathan
Hughes, Hughes having the pace & awareness to beat the
cover & cross under the posts. Jervis converted before
having to leave the field with a nasty gash to the head.
Ystrad looked to edge in front when scrum half Jones sent
a well angled kick to the corner but with a struggling lineout
the home team failed to capitalise. Llanharan playing down
the slope edged further ahead, replacement Gareth Spain
crossing for a try Pearce converted after a scrum in front
of the Ystrad posts.
The weary Llanharan forwards slowed play down in the last
quarter but Ystrad failed to give up & it was fitting
that athletic full back Geraint Shalton hauled his team
to within a try. Shalton retrieving a clearance kick then
setting off on a maizey run which saw him glide through
the midfield & sidestepped the full back to score a
superb try & Captain Dylan Jones converted to set up
a tense last eight minutes.
Llanharan however held on for a narrow victory but the Ystrad
performance should give them confidence for a victory in
their last league match versus UWIC on Wednesday
29th kick off 19.15
Prominent for the Yst were props John Watkins & Craig
Griffiths who got through a huge amount of graft around
the park & centres Dylan Jones & Dale Griffiths,
both having their work cut out having to deal with powerful
Llanharan centre Lee Thomas.
After
match pics
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