Home side no threat until last 10 minutes (From Barry And District News)

Home side no threat until last 10 minutes

PONTYCYMMER 10 - Sully Sports 19

ON a soft, heavy, stamina-sapping pitch, Sully Sports stuck successfully to their open game plan of moving the ball wide and supporting the ball carrier.

Pontycymmer employed a more physical, tight approach in the first period and never threatened to put the Sports line under threat.

The home side changed virtually the whole team by the start of the second period, bringing on almost a Youth side, who upped the tempo and played a more adventurous game plan.

But they failed to make any impression until the last ten minutes, when the Sports tired - having only 15 players to call on.

Sports opened their account after a quarter of an hour, when scrum half Martyn Young and outside-half partner Mike Mees combined to put away centre John Thomas, and his powerful, jinking, 35-metre run took him to the posts for a scintillating try, converted by M Young.

The Sports continued to attack in flowing moves, with Young, Mees, Thomas and fullback Lee Walters showing speed and vision.

But only one more try came before the break, when John Thomas finished off a fine move as he collected his own clever chip over the fullback to run in at the posts.

The conversion failed, and the lead of 12-0 did not do justice to the efforts and chances created by the visitors.

It looked as if the infusion of new home players would not alter matters after the restart, as within five minutes, a bout of inter-passing down the right touchline from inside the Sports' half was finished off by winger Mathew Gaffney, with his first try for the club. M Mees added the conversion.

The Sports continued to dominate play, without taking any of the several chances created, and as the game entered its last 10 minutes Pontycymmer got back into it when they scored a try from a five-metre lineout.

This invigorated the home team and suddenly the Sports had to defend for their lives.

Five minutes later the home team scored a second try, from another five-metre lineout catch and drive.

The Sports sought to step up their game for the remaining five minutes, playing on the attack in home territory, and therefore denying further setbacks.

Pick of the pack were flankers Wayne Storey and Graham Burks and prop Toby Warren, who all shone in both defence and attack.

After a shaky few scrums at the start of the game, locks Ritchie Franks and Dean Russell put in a lot of work in both the tight and loose.

With the Six Nations on the next two weekends, there will not be any Saturday fixtures, but the club are seeking mid-week games, so all players who cannot make Monday training must check arrangements with the selection committee.