Gwernyfed enjoyed a resounding victory at the weekend with a four-try bonus point win over the Old Penarthians.

Gwernyfed 31 - Old Penarthians 3

Report by Peter Weavers

Conditions at The Brian Jones Memorial Field were surprisingly good given the rain of previous days and top class ground stewards Highground had no hesitation in giving the OK for the Penarthians to travel up the A470.

The upshot was a resounding victory for the green, white and blacks with the four-try bonus point in the bag before the half-time break.

Playing against a brisk wind, the visitors took the game to Gwernyfed and within five minutes benefitted to the tune of three points when the home defence strayed offside.

That was the last major incursion in attack for the Old Boys who spent the next seventy-five minutes on the back foot, overwhelmed by a confident Gwernyfed.

At the root of the performance, inevitably on heavy ground, was the home pack with front rowers Cellan Skyrme, Craig Parry and skipper James Brute, bolstered by significant heft from locks Andrew Norris and Richard East, making progress at every scrum.

Their efforts were rewarded by half backs Gerwyn Williams and Will Lloyd who distributed the ball to good effect.

The first try was not long in coming, a move by centres Tom Morgan and Rhodri Williams finding flanker Kyle Davies out wide where he touched down for the second week in succession.

The dominance at the scrum was underpinned by good line out ball, Sam Stephens taking some great ball to set up a platform for the maul.

A couple of desperate interventions from the beleaguered defence saved the day but a second try was inevitable and from another rolling maul Cellan Skyrme touched down, Gerwyn Williams converting from wide out.

The third try on the half hour was a peach. Fly half Will Lloyd, a threat all afternoon, made a great break, making thirty metres before linking with Stephens who in turn found Tom Morgan, another who Penarth failed to shackle. Morgan timed his pass to full back Ryan Meredith perfectly, giving the youngster a armchair ride to the try line.

As the game progressed the scrum advantage earned by the green, white and blacks became ever more telling. When the defenders had the put in on their five yard line, the pressure told and as the visiting pack retreated the ball spat out over the try line, Gerwyn Williams, alert throughout, tapped down to earn both the bonus pint and a simple conversion.

The second period offered the visitors the benefit of the wind, but that hardly changed the direction of travel, the green, white and blacks on the front foot throughout. Man of the match, number 8 Lewis Bowen, and left-wing Johnny Rees both went close and fresh legs in Scott Rees, Will Nicholls and Lewis Meredith made Penarth’s task all the more difficult. However, the conditions and some stout defence kept the scoreboard static unto ten minutes from the end when scrum half Williams popped up a pass to prop Cellan Skyrme, taking a great line and going in unopposed from twenty metres. Williams added the two points.

Further opportunities saw a few over-eager efforts brought to an end by a sympathetic (and excellent) referee and as the floodlights cut through the gloom, the final whistle saw a contented crowd return to the welcome warmth of The Old Malthouse. Coaches Roberts and Reynolds professed themselves to be pleased with progress. With a fortnight’s rest before the visit of Tonyrefail to Talgarth, a third win on the trot looks to be a distinct possibility.