Fixture

Croesyceiliog RFC | 1st Team 5 - 17 Ynysddu RFC | 1st Team

Match Report
07 October 2019 / Team News

Defence can win you games but you need some magic

On day that started well with 2 squads confirmed disaster struck early when Abergavenny broke the news that they wouldn’t be turning up to fulfil the Rats fixture. Despite several calls Shaun was unable to secure a fixture and 18 boys went without rugby.

The first team squad travelled to Croesyceiliog with the extra support who also doubled up as opposition in the warmup and water boys during the game, although they would have preferred to be out on the park in their own game.

It was a grey overcast day and that’s what it must have felt like on the field as Croesy threw everything at us in the opening twenty minutes including the kitchen sinks as their bulkier forwards drove at our line. With props that made Jack look like Twiggy they tried their best to ram us into submission but our boys are made of sterner stuff and after taking all that they threw at us we relived the pressure with a kick and chase that put pressure on their wing who was taken into touch on the half way line. From the lineout the ball was passed to Lewis who fed the ball to Jezza who broke through the Croesy defence and run straight at their fullback committing him before off loading to Pross who ran in out wide to open the scoring.  Lewis converted and we lead by 7-0.

From the kickoff Pross took the ball only to taken out by a earth shattering tackle that had the home supporters roaring with excitement Pross got the ball away and the tackle lay still waiting to be attended by their first aider. Before the home supporters’ roars and jeers had time to subside the D’s supporters were making just as much noise however it was for a completely different reason.

The forwards secured set piece ball and a training ground move executed to perfection saw Lewis break the defence before the ball travelled to winger Pritchard who crossed wide out. Lewis converted and after defending for 20 minutes 5 minutes with ball had given us a 14-0 lead.

Within 5 minutes another break by the forwards led to Butch leading the charge and but for a poor pass the scoreboard would have been ticking over once again. Croesy built up a head of steam again but our defence was again equal to everything that they threw at us. Even when Luke Hughes was yellow carded for a side entry at a rolling maul they failed to score. When the pressure was released during this period and we looked as though we were about to score again a stray pass was picked up and with their scrum half giving their wing a nice flat and he looked to be going over when Jezza  put in a hard tackle which had the home crowd braying for this blood. Nothing wrong with it from a D’s view as we all know his tackling capabilities, but the ref was swayed and produced his second yellow within 12 minutes so almost as soon as we were back to 15 he reduced us to 14 once again.

Half time and we were 14 – 0 up.

Nothing exciting in the first 15 minutes with the game going neither sides way when a loose kick was gathered by Jezza covering deep in our 22 and off he goes on one of his infamous runs, linking well with the forwards and some direct running by Luke, Jod and Pross before Croesy had to offend to stop the move. Lewis kicks the penalty extending our lead 17- 0. With the hour mark meaning that subs start to appear the home side took advantage and when we failed to clear a kick to the corner and then compounded it with a bad throw to the line their 8 picked up from the scrum 5 metres out to score in the corner. 17-5.

Back at them we go and after a series of penalties on their 5 metres we continued to go for scrum and when the referee penalises their prop and gives the yellow everyone assumes that the penalty try is coming but not with this ref.  Being a man down and having brought on the kitchen sink we still pushed and drove forward and then as Pross is about to pounce they kick the ball out of the scrum. Again the penalty try is denied and in the end I think the ref got frustrated and penalised us and another try opportunity goes begging.  The relief was short lived and we attacked again but this time it’s a bad pass from Jack to Jamsey so another try goes begging.

With time running out Croesy put on some pressure but our defence is solid and then the final whistle goes for another win on the road and next week we’ve a trip to Rhydyfelin in the Plate competition.  

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