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Ystrad
Rhondda 33 Tredegar 14
Following
their opponents recent drubbing of Ynysybwl and a victory
over Div 1 side Fleur de Lys, Ystrad knew the visit of Tredegar
would be their toughest test to date.
This was new territory for most of the Ystrad pack with
an average age of just twenty-two facing a much bigger and
vastly more experienced Tredegar eight and though Dylan
Jones, slotting in at centre, settled the home teams nerves
with a well executed penalty the visitors pack did a good
job of disrupting Ystrad’s lineout and scrum which
often left poor tap-down ball for scrum half Chris Rees
or meant that Captain Chris Hanly, playing at number eight
after the late withdrawal of outstanding backrower Neil
Walker, turned bad ball to good with his surging runs off
the back of the scrum.
When Ystrad did produce good scrum ball with the scores
level at 3-3 lively wing Gerwyn Davies displayed his power
by crashing into and taking out several of the visitors
midfield and provided quick ruck ball which saw centre Jones
switch with full back Blanche Phillips, the young Ferndale
product shrugged off two defenders before touching down
under the posts for Jones to convert.
Indiscipline by the home team allowed the Tredegar No 10
a penalty following which Ystrad scored their best try of
the game, off the top lineout ball from Greg Booth allowed
Rees and outside half Gareth Williams to feed incredible
flanker Thomas Ferris, Coach Mike Griffiths likened him
to a ball bearing when he bounced three defenders off and
found his back row partner Nathan Hughes in support, Hughes
did well to round the final Tredegar player and score a
fine try. Jones converted.
Just before the interval a silly Ystrad cross field kick
just outside the opposition twenty two was claimed by the
Tredegar right wing, a clever inside pass by the wing meant
his supporting man was left to run in a try which brought
the half time score to 17-11.
Ystrad were dealt a double blow early in the 2nd half when
the visitors struck first by means of a penalty and following
a fracas in midfield they lost their defensive general James
Davies along with his opposite number to the sin bin.
The home team showed much character and had it not been
for some excellent defence, most noteably a cover tackle
by scrum half Rees when a try was on the cards and when
wing Nathan Rees stood up to the huge Tredegar No 8 and
hauled him into touch, they would have found themselves
going behind.
With the large Tredegar pack tiring Ystrad coaches picked
the right time to change their front row by introducing
Paul Dunning, Carl Facey and Daniel Matthews for Neil Jones,
John Watkins and Chris Waygood the subsituted three showed
great resilience.
The last third of the game saw Ystrad display their superior
fitness and skill levels with the scores at 20-14 after
another Jones penalty good lineout work where the accuracy
of replacement hooker Carl Facey’s throw was paramount
and a break from the resulting forward drive by Ferris allowed
him to feed Rees, on to Booth and then his 2nd row partner
Andrew Carbis, the latter was hauled down with the try line
in sight and with Tredegar penalised at the breakdown Ystrad
seized on the opportunity to spread the ball wide and wing
Davies was the beneficiary by scoring a try out wide. Jones
narrowly missed with the conversion.
Ystrad went through a nervous spell either side of half
time but for the last quarter the result was never in doubt
and it was fitting that flanker and man of the match Thomas
Ferris scored the last try when he took a quick penalty
on the half way line and raced clear to score Ystrad’s
fourth try to earn them their third bonus point in as many
games. Jones slotted over the conversion.
Coaches Alan Roberts and Mike Griffiths were once again
delighted with the skill levels shown and durablity of their
young side.
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