LAST Saturday saw the first meeting for several years between Penarth RFC Youth and local opposition Dinas Powys RFC Youth which saw the Penarth team overwhelming their opposition, winning by 65 points to 14.

Despite a brave showing by the Dinas Powys boys it was a great display of power and skills from the Penarth squad that despite being tested at times by Dinas, came through with a convincing win.

Following a gracious minutes silence by both teams in remembrance to those who sacrificed themselves in the two world wars, it was the Penarth boys that set the pace in the first part of the game when after only five minutes of play Penarth flanker Thaine Baker managed to wriggle himself free from two Dinas defenders to open up the scoring for the first try and an immediate five point lead.

The early try rallied the Dinas team and with a determination they managed to encroach into the Penarth 22 following a penalty kick and after a well taken line out, stretched the Penarth backs to score their first try and with a successful conversion take a 7-5 lead.

With some stern advice from Penarth captain George Roberts behind the posts, the team rallied and rather than 15 individuals playing on the pitch, the team started to put phases of play together, playing to their strengths and immediately saw dividends, when Penarth right wing Mike Halligan handed off his opposition before barging past the Dinas defence to score his first try of the game under the posts. With the conversion by scrum half Gruff Shewring the score moved to seven points to 12.

From the restart, the Penarth forwards started to dominate play with some storming runs from Penarth number eight Sam Sullivan which put the Dinas players on the back foot, and after several phases of play, it again saw the ball worked wide to Halligan who using his power, again went on another blinding run to score his second try under the posts and Penarth take a 7-19 lead.

Having realised that phased play and moving the ball wide was working, the Penarth boys worked hard in dragging the opposition into the contact area and again another well worked ball saw centres Roberts and Toby Dyer link with full back Luc Kean-Adams, who put left wing Cai Lloyd into space for the winger to score the fourth try for Penarth for a 7 -24 lead.

Only minutes later, with the Dinas boys struggling to cope with the speed of play from the Penarth fifteen, it saw Penarth centre Roberts work the ball well to Kean-Adams and like an unstoppable low flying Exocet missile the full back hit the line to put Penarth 7-31 in the lead following a successful conversion.

Half time saw the Penarth coaches Dai Williams and Simon Rees make several changes with prop Yaz Ghandour coming on in place of Tom Griffiths, Matt Rogers for second row Alex Shore, flanker Rhys Jones for Thaine Baker, Ellis Smith for Dan Anderton, Matt Hocking for Geraint Williams and Zacc Fillau coming on for Halligan.

Pleasing for the Penarth coaches was the introduction of several subs didn't stop the momentum of the Penarth squad and it wasn't long before again good work by the Penarth eight saw the ball moved out to the backs and this time it was outside half Aron Arthur who stepped his way through the Dinas defence to score under the posts for Penarth to take a 7-38 lead.

With another two quick Penarth tries coming from George Roberts who intercepted a pass on his 22 metre line to run the length of the pitch and score under the posts, and scrum half Gruff Shewring, the Penarth boys were on it seemed an unstoppable roll taking a 7-48 lead.

It was Dinas however, who never stopped battling throughout the game and deservedly scored a second try after putting pressure on the Penarth boys, forcing them back into their 22 and securing a well converted try to pull the score back to 14-48.

With all the Penarth bench now on the pitch and tuning into play, it was Penarth who took the play back to Dinas and in the final 15 minutes it saw further tries for Luc Kean-Adams, Cai Lloyd and Aron Arthur to take the final score to Dinas Powys RFC Youth 14 Penarth RFC Youth 65.

Despite the score line, it was a good competition between the two young teams which was played in great spirit and friendship by all involved in the game.