Seasiders can concentrate on the league...

7:30am Thursday 20th November 2008

Penallta 34

Penarth 5

SOME matches are stolen from you and some you throw away. Still others are lost as a result of a rare old stuffing but this one didn't fall into any of these categories.

Unusually, Div 1(E) club Penallta fielded a XV who weren't markedly bigger or faster than their visitors; neither, for the most part, were they any more skilled or talented as individuals.

The real difference took about 25 minutes to emerge, as a lively Penarth outfit dominated possession and territory about 80 per cent in both cases, according to some estimates.

While this was going on, Penallta simply broke out as the opportunities arose and scored three tries without reply. They managed this by the simple expedient of being very, very well organised.

As the Seasiders camped out in their 22, they defended in numbers, but as soon as they'd turned the ball over and broken the first tackle, they supported each other so well that the visiting defence were left chasing shadows.

The first try came after eight minutes of Penarth dominance as outside half Andrew Jenkins didn't need a two-man overlap after an 80-metre breakout.

The Seasiders returned to their siege of the Penallta line, but without any reward until Paul Gooding was forced out of the game with an elbow injury.

Although it was still not obvious when the two divisions difference between the teams was going to show, Penallta knew very well what they were up to and within a minute, loose head Robert Shannon had spun out of a soft tackle in his team's third visit to the Seasiders' 22 and scored his side's second.

Straight from the restart, Jenkins claimed the ball and waltzed straight through the Penarth defence, setting Shaun Robson free on the touchline.

Steve Roberts nailed the speedy winger, who nevertheless got the scoring pass away to supporting number eight Morgan Allen.

At 17-0 down, the visitors knew they had their work cut out in the second half, but the full extent of their task was made clear with a superb piece of rugby from Penallta.

Outside half Jenkins took possession on his own 22 and then threw out the juciest of passes to left wing Robson, who scorched up the touchline without anyone laying a finger on him.

With the score standing at 22-0 and most of the second half remaining, the game was clearly up for the Seasiders and the fact that Jenkins had succeeded with only one of his four conversion attempts didn't disguise the fact that his side could apparently score almost when they felt like it.

No-one in the Penarth ranks could really be faulted, even if repetitive use of the crash-ball tactic perhaps ought to have been ditched after it had clearly failed. Debutant number eight Ian Carter was making a real impression, while returning wing Chris Thorn was irrepressible in attack and defence.

None of this mattered on 52 minutes as Penallta again lifted the siege and burst into the Penarth 22, rapidly working openside Andrew Jackson over for a 29-0 lead.

A rash of replacements steadied the ship for a while as the hosts for once exerted some forward pressure, but it was only when the game opened up that the sixth try came, as tight organisation and support play sent right wing Lee Thomas over in the opposite corner.

No-one could accuse the Seasiders of giving up after all their hard work and with 10 minutes remaining, they finally unpicked the home defence and it was an old party piece that provided the key.

Penallta hands in the ruck for the umpteenth time allowed James Docherty to drill a long one into the corner against the wind and, as Jason Allen claimed the ball at front jumper, he had the strength and support to drive over in the corner.

Droitwich referee Paul Richards, who had had an otherwise superb match, then puzzled everyone with three blasts of the whistle almost straight from the restart to end a fascinating but ultimately disappointing cup-tie for Penarth about nine minutes early.

PENARTH: Steve Roberts, Chris Thorn, Rhys Lakin, Huw Tookey (Andrew Edwards), James Crothers, James Docherty, Owain George, Carwyn Griffiths (Dai Morgan), Geraint Evans, James Thorp, Jason Allen, Paul Gooding, Damian Blake, Ian Carter, Rob Pearce.