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Ystrad Rhondda 16 Newport Saracens 5
Ystrad
had the opportunity to inflict their first double of the
season, though the players & coaching staff were well
aware the Newport Saracens side they faced last Saturday
was a much improved one from the team they annialated 46-13
back in October.
Led by former Llanelli second row Paul Jones & also
featuring last season's Swansea number eight Saracens started
the game with vigour & it was only sound defending by
the home team in the first ten minutes that kept the visitors
at bay.
A well executed box kick just outside his own twenty-two
by scrum half Mark Jones enabled wing Jamie Wicks &
number eight Hywel Stoddart to pressurise the Newport catcher
which resulted in match official Ken Bowen awarding Ystrad
a penalty for not releasing, with Wayne Jervis back from
injury at outside half he sent his punt into the corner,
Captain Chris Hanly rose quicker than his opponent at the
ensuing lineout & took charge of a drive towards the
try line before Jones released his backs, centre Dylan Jones
dancing his way through the vistors midfield & held
up just short but quick ruck ball saw scrum half Jones switch
back blind & a miss pass by Jervis to the powerhouse
that is Thomas Hetherington allowed the hooker to crash
over for a deserved try.
The home team should have added to their lead on half hour
when full back Geraint Shalton showed his class & composure
by retreiving an awkward clearance kick side stepped two
defenders & set up an attacking ruck with flanker's
Nathan Hughes & Masin Al Azzawi in attendance &
creating quick ball a wide pass by Jervis meant Nathan Rees,
on dual from Cardiff, came into midfield off the right wing
& displayed his awesome pace by rounding an oncoming
defender before offloading to fellow wing Wicks, Wicks has
shown up well in the last few weeks & looked to give
the try scoring pass to centre Tom Hocking, however good
cover tackling forced Hocking to knock on with the tryline
in sight.
Newport were rewarded for their guts & determination
when they created several phases of play which eventually
led to a try out wide, but it was Jervis who had the last
say of the half with a well timed penalty kick at goal.
A feature of Ystrad's game over past season has been the
workrate of their forwards & the team's ability to play
a fast expensive & this was evident throughout, although
the lineout needs to be tweaked the scrum got stronger as
the game progressed, the counter rucking of the forwards
was also a feature where prop John Watkins, playing on the
unfamiliar tight side, & Nathan Hughes were outstanding.
Ystrad introduced paul Dunning for prop Neil Jones, hooker
Carl Facey for Hywel Stoddart & flanker Neil Walker
for Dai Owen before Jervis was again successful with a long
range penalty at goal.
The away team were guilty of slowing play down in the second
half which resulted in a stop-start affair but with half
backs Jones & Jervis controlling affairs behind an increasingly
dominant pack further tries were inevitable, Jones the scrum
half spotted the visiting fullback out of position when
he hoofed the ball down centrefield from a penalty on the
Ystrad twenty-two which gave a chance for the quickest man
on the field Nathan Rees to race past the retreating Saracens
& good footwork by the youngster ended with a Rees try
to seal the match. With Penallta, Beddau & Rumney all
losing the win lifts Ystrad to eleven points above the drop-zone.
The Six Nations mean there is a break from league action
until Ystrad travel to play a rearranged fixture with Bargoed
on 21st Feb.
www.ystradrhonddarfc.co.uk
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