Merthyr v Rumney 17.10.09

SWALEC League Division 1 East

MERTHYR v RUMNEY

The Wern, Merthyr Tydfil
Saturday 17th October 2009, k.o. 2.30 pm

Rumney v Merthyr 25.04.09
Past playing record : Played 21 games, Merthyr 10 wins, Rumney 8 wins, 3 draws

Rumney : 15. Dafydd Evans 14. Lincoln Plummer 13. Dan Millward 12. Paul Niblett 11. Lewis Fox 10. Danny Clark 9. Chris Milton 8. Anthony Wilson 7. Ryan Fenton 6. Matthew Way 5. Paul Bull 4.Mike Neale 3. Darren Fenton 2. Michael Feneck (Capt) 1. John Leadbeatter
Replacements: 16.Ryan Sutton 17.Lewis Andrews 18. James Monck 19. Joe Mills 20. Carwyn Thomas

Referee : Lynne Davies, Porth

Merthyr 32 Rumney 24

Scorers for Rumney : Lewis Fox 2 tries, Chris Milton try, Danny Clark 3 conversions and penalty

Scorers for Merthyr : Lloyd Hynes try and 2 conversions and penalty, James Wood try, Adam Williams try, Chris Weightman try, James Howe try

Rumney went down to their second defeat of the season in a match which saw them surprisingly lose a seventeen point lead and concede five tries, one after another. The game at The Wern started well for the visitors, No8 Anthony Wilson gaining useful possession in the lineouts and the high quality scrummaging front row of John Leadbeatter, Michael Feneck and Darren Fenton securing equally good ball in the set piece. In the eighth minute outside half Danny Clark let loose an accurate long pass to centre Dan Millward on the burst, Millward breaking way down field and supported by fullback Dafydd Evans and wing Lewis Fox, setting up a strong position for Fox to pick up and dive over for the opening try. Rumney indiscretions gave Merthyr a number of penalties but none were turned into points and the Ironmen concentrated on using their big pack to gain and keep possession deep in the visitors' territory. Rumney's defensive qualities were tested but second rows Paul Bull and Mike Neale, and flankers Ryan Fenton and Matthew Way all produced decisive tackles to impede the drives and rolling mauls. A particularly good break out of defence by Ryan Fenton took play into the Merthyr half and Clark worked the corners to move his side into attacking positions where the Rumney pack drove forward effectively, guided by lively scrum half Chris Milton. The visiting backs were also looking sharp, particularly centre Paul Niblett, and when wingers Lincoln Plummer and Fox combined with Millward in a snappy passing movement, a second try seemed to be on the cards. Clark had continued to work the spaces well and in the twenty eighth minute gathered a speculative Merthyr kick on his own twenty two before setting off on a superb fifty metre dash, supplying Fox with the perfect ball to race in for his second try. The outside half put over the difficult conversion for a 0 - 14 lead and although Merthyr still concentrated mostly on forward play revolving around powerful No8 Rhys Miles, requiring more important tackles from Plummer, Fox, Millward and Evans, the homeside also started to move the ball wider. In the Rumney powerhouse Bull and Neale kept the scrums and mauls going forward, and when Way, Ryan Fenton and Wilson drove on they were stopped illegally and Clark kicked a further three points. Seventeen points behind, Merthyr again started to spread the ball, the interplay between forwards and backs now looking very threatening, and in the thirty ninth minute they drew in defenders before switching wide and putting winger James Wood in at the corner for a try and a half time score of 5 - 17.

The Ironmen started the second half strongly and forced Rumney to concede a string of penalties, although the visitors still had the upper hand in loose play where Way, Ryan Fenton, Neale, Leadbeatter and Feneck were sharp and fast to the breakdown. James Monck came on for Darren Fenton at tight head and Joe Mills for Paul Bull in the second row, both players immediately taking over and working smoothly in the impressive Rumney pack. Merthyr concentrated their forward play in midfield, creating tight mauls and drives and benefitting from more penalties to get into striking positions. In the fifty fifth minute home fullback Hynes gathered a bouncing ball and sprinted in for a try and from the restart, again assisted by the high Rumney penalty count, Merthyr expoited their dependable lineout and rolling maul to keep play fixed firmly in the visitors' half for long periods, but in the sixty sixth minute again sent the ball out to the backs where centre Adam Williams evaded tacklers to touch down for the converted try which levelled the scores at 17 - 17. Two minute later the Rumney defence conceded another penalty and Hynes put his side ahead for the first time at 20 - 17. Flanker Ryan Sutton took to the field for the visitors, immediately securing lineout ball and working fearlessly in the loose, but Rumney still had to defend against the increasingly confident Merthyr attackers, full back Evans dealing very well with kick and chase ball and counterattecking strongly, but in the seventy third minute the heavy work of the Ironmen led to a turnover and a free kick from which prop James Howe powered over to score. Hynes added the points and four minutes later, another high paced midfield break led to a corner try for left wing Chris Weightman. Now trailing 32 - 17, further indiscipline cost Rumney more penalties and loss of territory but as the clock ran down they worked their way back upfield and from a penalty, Milton conjured up a characteristically snappy try, dodging through defenders for a solo touchdown, Clark's conversion bringing the game to an end at 32 - 24.

Matt Silva, Coach Rumney 1st XV : "Basically we have a very disappointed squad who have to learn lessons from this game. When you play sides like Merthyr you have to take your chances, you have to stick to your game plan and what is working for you. We had the measure of them in the first half but failed to capitalise on the pressure that we put on Merthyr and we let them back into the game. They took their chances well, playing with great intensity, and carved out a great win for themselves. If we want to finish in the top half of the table this season we have to be able to go to grounds like The Wern and learn how to undo these tough, dogged teams. We are now in the middle of a difficult month and in the next two weeks face Blackwood and Newbridge, we have to improve our game management and our technical and tactical awareness. It is still early in the season, we are only in October and have plenty of time to improve and gain some consistency in our play. Today's Man of the Match was Danny Clark."

Danny Clark, outside half Rumney 1st XV : "In the first half we played really well, we worked the corners, attacked well and our defence was solid, but that Merthyr try at the end of the half was a bit of a slip up. We came out after the break a completely different side and in the second half the penalty count against us was twelve or thirteen. We threw it away ourselves, Merthyr deserved it, we threw it away. We now need to focus on next week and concentrate on what is in front of us, we'll start on Tuesday in training."

 

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Try scorers : Lewis Fox (8 mins and 28 mins), James Wood (39 mins), Lloyd Hynes (55 mins), Adam Williams (66 mins), James Howe (73 mins), Chris Weightman (75 mins), Chris Milton (80 mins)