Rumney v Rhydyfelin 28.01.06

Rumney : 15.P.Carlton 14.M.Miller 13.A.Jones 12.P.Niblett (Capt) 11.J.Offside 10.D.Clark  9.C.Miller  1.A.Feehan  2.M.Feneck  3.C.Gale   4.E.James  5.R.Williams 6.R.Sutton 7.R.Fenton 8.M.Kelly  Replacements : L.Khan B.Phillips C.O'Donoghue T.Gee

Scorers for Rumney : C.O'Donoghue try, D.Clark conversion and 2 penalties

Scorers for Rhydyfelin : G.Close try, L.Evans try

An error strewn opening period found both sides testing each other out, with Rumney having the edge in the lineouts and holding their own in the scrums against a heavier pack of forwards. The visitors were disciplined throughout the game but Rhydyfelin offered advice to the referee and Rumney outside half Danny Clark kicked the difficult twelfth minute penalty to open the scoring. The home side soon demonstrated their expertise with the rolling maul but the Rumney defence was excellent with Ryan Fenton, Anthony Jones, Matthew Miller and Andrew Feehan all producing telling tackles to prevent scores. Rhydyfelin did however exert pressure for long periods, but with flanker Ryan Sutton and second row Emyr James controlling the lineouts Rumney cleared most of the danger until a loose touchkick allowed home winger Gavin Close to run the ball back, shaking off weak tackles to score a corner try. Play was soon back in the Rumney half, this time good defence work at the back of the scrum by No8 Michael Kelly kept the attackers at bay and half time was reached with Rhydyfelin leading 5 - 3.

The second half opened with more heavy pressure on the Rumney twenty two, but breaks out of defence by Chris Miller, Joey Offside, Michael Feneck and Kelly indicated that the visitors were becoming more dangerous in attack, though Rhydyfelin continued to threaten, only to be frustrated by fearless tackling by Chris Miller and the scrum half and prop Colin O'Donoghue effectively working the blindside, gaining plenty of ground and relieving the pressure. In the sixtieth minute Jones stopped a Rhydyfelin attack with a crunching tackle and when the ball went loose, winger Joey Offside snapped it up, linked with Matthew Miller and Sutton whose wide pass found O'Donoghue on the burst thirty metres out. With a lot of work still to do, O'Donoghue thundered through tacklers and with a hint of a dummy, powered over for an excellent and vital try. Clark's conversion from an awkward angle put his side 5 - 10 ahead and Rumney continued to find space in midfield with centre Paul Niblett, wing Miller, full back Phil Carlton cutting through and flanker Ryan Fenton, prop Charley Gale and second row Rhys Williams causing big problems for the opposition. Rhydyfelin were still determined to improve their position near the top of the table and more poor Rumney tackling allowed centre Lee Evans to bring the scores level with a try but in the seventy fifth minute the match was decided when Rumney were awarded a penalty and Clark again succeeded with the difficult kick. A tense five minutes followed with Rhydyfelin rushing to regain the lead but a crucial lineout steal by Sutton and solid defence in the centre tightened the game and gave Rumney an excellent and very valuable away win.

Steve Ford, Coach Rumney 1st XV : "It was probably not the best start to a game, our bus did not turn up so as soon as we arrived at the ground we had to change and get out on the pitch. We had a good chat and I told the players there could be no excuses. The first half was ok, the lineouts were good and for the first twenty five minutes the scrum went well, but after that it creaked at times. We tried to play a bit of football, which was very pleasing and our defence was spot on despite a few missed tackles. Andrew Feehan had a good first half and then Colin O'Donoghue came on for the second half. We were gutsy and determined but gave away a lot of penalties and lost the ball going forward, but Colin's presence and his ball carrying skills lifted everyone and he scored a lovely try. I thought we were comfortable then but Rhydyfelin came back at us, kept it tight with the rolling maul and they scored a try, so it was ten all with six minutes to go. I thought we needed a bit of luck, and we still have some injuries, but the players were superb and all put their hands up. We broke the Rhydyfelin line ten yards out and they were caught offside and Danny Clark kicked it for a 10 - 13 win. I am pleased for the boys, it has been a really tough season, we had a bit of luck today and I am very, very pleased. There were young boys in the side tonight who just don't know when to give in, it was pure guts and determination, I was so proud of them tonight. The Man of the Match was Emyr James."

Colin O'Donoghue