The Seasiders try to talk down their achievement (From Barry And District News)

The Seasiders try to talk down their achievement

Penarth 23pts - Pentyrch 20

Thankfully, not much was hanging on the result of this mid-table clash at the Athletic field.

Only three points in Pentyrch's favour separated the clubs lying 5th and 6th in division 5 East and the result in Penarth's favour will merely serve to reverse the order of those two positions. The leaders are effectively out of sight so pride after a narrow defeat at Pentyrch was all that was at stake for the Seasiders.

Yet once again the fingernails of the Penarth faithful get their ritual champing to elbow level as their men, despite the clearest possible evidence to the contrary, persist in the belief that the man with the whistle will welcome a little homespun advice and guidance.

A game that should have been in the bag before half time was secured by the very last kick.

It all started encouragingly enough. The rugby matched the weather with both sides taking advantage of the opportunity to run and to throw the ball about a bit.

After a short passage of end to end and general introductions up front Penarth took up residence in Pentyrch's 22. For a good 20 minutes of lines out and scrummaging, Penarth laid siege and tested just how many different reasons their can be for failing to score. The only consistent one of these being the 10m trudge back already mentioned.

During this period Greg Swaine was prominent with effective peels from the line out, Mark Wysocki bustled and burrowed and Paul Gooding started an afternoon during which he collected and safely delivered all the ball thrown to him in the line out. Enterprisingly Craig Miller opted to relieve the frustration with a short range drop goal only for Mr Langdon of Bridgend to rule it wide. Then Mike Claire burst over but could not convince Mr Langdon that the ball was grounded.

As often happens frustration leads to a lapse of concentration and suddenly on 25 minutes J Williams, the Pentyrch centre hacks on from broken play collects cleanly to touch down with another of the four Williams fielded by the visitors converting.

Galvanised by this set back and helped by increasing set piece dominance, Penarth regain territorial advantage. Quickly fed scrum ball on the Pentyrch 22 allows Craig Miller to slot an inch perfect grubber through the defence, slide himself through the gap thus created and leave himself with the simplest of conversions from straight in front.

So half time arrives with the score at 7 apiece but with Penarth having had 80% territory left to contemplate what could have been if final passes had only gone to hand and if muscles that had worked so hard had not included those in the jaw.

The second half started on the right note. Leon Patnet and Brent Muggeridge are involved in a sharp break with skipper Mike Clair just pulled up short. There is compensation as Pentyrch are judged offside in front of the posts; 10-7.

Joy is short-lived as in a top class move Pentyrch wing Williams splits the home defence coming in behind a successful scrum at a fabulous angle to feed number 13 Coetsee and for another Williams to convert and Pentyrch to lead 10-14.

Darren Howden replaced the powerful Simon Crothers in the home second row to be penalised straight away for use of the boot. Penarth regroup and Dai Carter makes a dart from defence and despite losing the ball in contact, Pentyrch infringe allowing Penarth to gain a line out on the opposition 10m line.

Paul Gooding takes and feeds impeccable ball yet again allowing Mike Clair to use his strength for a touch down which is not converted

At 15-14 up Penarth are forced to defend by a still lively and competitive opposition. In a position just in front of their post, Penarth fall foul of the afternoon's most exotic decision, Craig Miller being ruled to have run 'all the way around' the ruck.

Penarth not only go behind to the ensuing penalty but then have another awarded against them for 'talking back' at the kick off. This penalty is not converted but another for holding on is.

We enter the last 10 minutes with Penarth 15-20 adrift. Cue for high drama and not a little rugby football skill on 80 minutes as Craig Miller sets off in the best move of the game at just that looping angle that leaves all the Pentyrch defenders that thought they had him wondering where he went. The try went unconverted and there were those who thought that 20-20 was a fair reflection of the afternoon's endeavours.

However the fat lady had not yet sung and so it was that deep into injury time the faithful who dared to watch Chris Cummings steady himself to take a by no means straightforward penalty out right were rewarded by seeing it bisect the uprights.

There only remained time for the final whistle and for Penarth to ponder how to make life easier for themselves and their supporters. There is a home fixture this Friday evening, April 5th against friends from the North, Bangor kick-off 7.15pm. The next league fixture is away at Nelson on April 13th.