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Newport
HSOB 14 Ystrad Rhondda 63
Seven
second half tries all converted by outside half Wayne Jervis
left the Newport side somewhat bewildered and with Penallta
slipping up at home to fourth placed Mountain Ash the top
of Division Two East is really hotting up.
In fairness to the home side they competed well for the
first half using their bigger forwards to play a tight game
and starve the lively Ystrad backline of quality ball.
Both defences stood up well in the first quarter until from
a solid Ystrad scrum Jervis spotted a void behind the advancing
defenders and put in a delicate chip which speedster Dan
Hitchins latched onto and broke through the full back’s
attempted tackle to record the first try. Jervis converted.
Hitchins set up the second by securing a high ball and making
his way past two tacklers before setting up a driving maul,
scrum half Ben Daniels opted for a gap up the blindside
where he found centre Gerwyn Davies in support, Davies handed
off his man and released flanker and man of the match Tom
Hocking for a charge up the touchline, with a HSOB player
covering across Hocking passed inside for Davies to cross
for a try. Jervis converted.
Davies had an altercation with a home winger following his
try and put the player firmly in his place with a thunderous
tackle in midfield minutes later.
Newport rallied well a period on pressure leading up to
half time paid dividends when they muscled their way over
the Ystrad line for a converted try.
The visitors had the wind in their backs as they turned
for half two and an early try was inevitable with quality
lineout ball constantly supplied by second rows Greg Booth
and Nathan Hughes, Hitchins the beneficiary of one off the
top ball when full back Dylan Jones found a bit of space
and fed Hitchins who progressed up the right and linked
up with fellow wing Harry Allen, Allen showing good maturity
by knowing when to offload, a well timed inside pass meant
Hitchins raced under the posts for a simple Jervis conversion.
With the game opening up suiting Ystrad’s style of
play, forwards and backs interlinking with Ystrad’s
back row to the fore, a break from stalwart flanker Kerry
Taylor on as a replacement was finished off by substitute
scrum half Chris Rees.
Within minutes of Dean Jones coming on at full back, a good
take in the deep and linked up with Hocking, Hocking seemed
to be involved in all Ystrad’s good work, whose inside
pass found Allen and with Gerwyn Davies looming on the outside
young Allen fed Davies who registered his second try of
the afternoon and Jervis his fifth conversion.
Davies’ co-centre Gareth Pugh was next to get on the
scoresheet following interpassing between full back Jones,
Hocking, second row Nathan Hughes and Jervis whose well
weighted pass allowed Pugh to use his pace and cut through
the HSOB defenders.
With Ystrad playing a breathtaking brand of rugby Hocking
raced clear from inside his own half for a well deserved
touchdown.
Dean Jones showed great enthusiasm when he came off the
bench and straightened the line outside Pugh to glide through
the leaking Newport defence for a converted try.
Despite the home team scoring their second try Davies completed
his hatrick when he finished off another fine break by Hocking
who found Pugh in support and from the ensuing ruck Rees
found Jervis with prop Chris Waygood on his outside, Waygood
showed good hands and threw a wide pass which allowed Davies
a one against one, a trademark hand off seeing Davies cross
in the corner for Jervis to complete the scoring with his
ninth conversion out of nine.
The Coaching staff and players were buoyed by the appearance
on the bench of former club Captain Kerry Taylor after the
late withdrawal due to injury of Hywel Stoddart.
This Saturday Ystrad are home to third placed Abercynon
Ko 1430.
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