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MERTHYR
10 YSTRAD RHONDDA 15
With
the home team riding high in the league & attempting
to improve their ground facilities to meet Premiership criteria
the Merthyr faithful may have expected to inflict a festive
stuffing on their Rhondda rivals. Nothing could have been
further from the truth however, as every Ystrad player rose
to the occasion & the visitors looked every bit as good
as the high flyers & better in most facets of play.
Ystrad were thankful to Cambrian & Wattstown for allowing
Anthony Jones & Dano Roberts permits to strengthen an
injury ravaged backline with recent leg breaks to Gareth
Pugh & Ben Daniels proving to be a huge loss for the
club. The late inclusion of Pontypridd wing Chris Clayton
on dual also boosted moral in the Ystrad camp.
On a pitch which survived an inspection two failed early
penalty attempts by Merthyr's Neil Burnett gave Ystrad positive
momentum playing up the slope & breaks out of defence
by full back Roberts & Tom Hocking, playing out of position
in the centre & showing great versatility, almost brought
the game's first points.
Coach Mike Griffiths has moulded his pack into a unit who
are a match for any team in the league, accurate work in
the lineout with the combination of hooker Carl Facey &
Captain Chris Hanly securing a fine supply of ball &
from one driving lineout the visitors muscled Merthyr over
the line for home product John Watkins to claim the touchdown.
Outside half Dylan Jones controlled the game & varied
his play, Jones' well angled conversion set up a 7-0 lead.
The match official awarded Merthyr a series of strange penalties
which even had the home team subs shaking their heads in
amazement, Burnett only delivering with one of the kicks
at goal.
A Chris Clayton burst up the touchline where he found Dano
Roberts in support for the full back to thread a delicate
chip through to set up camp on the Merthyr line. With Ystrad
forwards securing possession coutesy of second row Nathan
Hughes & prop Craig Griffiths, quick ball from scrum
half Mark Jones appeared to have enabled his half back partner
time to jink his way over for a try, but the referee blew
up to award a defending scrum stating Jones had grounded
the ball on the line.
Further pressure by the Ystrad pack would soon pay dividends
with number eight Thomas Hetherington picking up from the
base of a scrum & having too much pace & power for
the home team back row to cross for his team's second try.
Jones narrowly missed with the extras.
In spite of flanker Neil Walker, who like his fellow forwards
gets through a huge amount of work, falling foul of the
referee who gave him a yellow card Ystrad went in at the
break deservingly 12-3 to the good.
Merthyr must have had a stern talking to at half time &
early in the second half used their man advantage when number
eight Rhys Miles scored under the posts for former Pontypridd
centre Paul Matthews to add the conversion.
The away side should arguably have increased their lead
with further tries when Hetherington crossed in the left
corner, only for the official to deem he lost the ball over
the line & when a superb cover tackle by corner flagging
scrum half Tom Dickens denied flying wing Chris Clayton
with a tackle on the line.
With Merthyr seemingly out on their feet & having lost
three key players through injury Ystrad's Dylan Jones nailed
a penalty to open the gap to 15-10.
Ystrad were on the attack with twelve minutes remaining
when a neck injury to scrum half Dickens saw the official
understandably halt proceedings until an ambulance came,
due to the fading light & Merthyr officials claiming
their floodlights were out of action the game was abandoned
to the dismay of all associated with the Rhondda club.
Coaches Roberts & Griffiths were gutted for their players
with an excellent all round team effort & great individual
performances by number eight Hetherington, centre Hocking
& full back Roberts.
For more information visit www.ystradrhonddarfc.co.uk
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