Fixture

Glamorgan Wanderers RFC | 1st Team 31 - 17 Mountain Ash RFC | 1st Team

Match Report
04 February 2019 / Team News

Mount Lose To League Leaders

League leaders Glamorgan Wanderers had a bit more than Mount throughout this game, but not that much more considering they are top of Division 1 East Central. The game was played on a grassy, heavy pitch which got heavier as the game progressed.

The Old Firm played into a strong sun in the first half and with that came a few dropped catches of high balls. Both the home tries in the first half came from the Mount backline not coming up in defence as a unit, leaving gaps for the Wanderers backs to go through. After 16 minutes, a break by the home centre was taken on by the Wanderers left wing who was tackled by Mount full back Will Holley 10 metres out. With the Mount defence stretched, Wanderers moved the ball wide for their right wing to run in. The conversion was well struck from wide out which put the home side 7-0 up.

Mount started to get into the game and put together several phases on the Wanderers 22 line. After 23 minutes, the heavy home pack took a scrum against the head and with the Mount backline again not coming up as one, one of the home centres had no problem running over for a second converted try to make it 14-0.

The writing looked on the wall for Mount but they responded in determined fashion and from a good lineout take, flanker Chris Edmunds charged towards the Wanderers posts from 15 metres out. The Mount pack was quickly in support and although the Old Firm did not get over, they were awarded a penalty which outside half Morgan Cartwright kicked from 15 metres out to reduce the home lead to 14-3.

The Old Firm were making a better fist of it and a kick on by Cartwright up to 10 metres from the home line was quickly followed up. A lovely piece of skill by the Wanderers wing saw him pick the ball up, turn and race away down the touchline and pass inside where the attacker was met by several Mount tacklers. A poor pass by the home backs led to Mount kicking on again into the Wanderers 22, and right on half time, heavy Mount pressure on the Wanderers line saw the ball moved wide. Full back Holley was nearly over, but the ball was fed once more, this time to second row Adam Parry, who crashed over midway out, Cartwright striking the ball nicely to make it 14-10 to the Wanderers at half time.

The Wanderers had use of the slope in the second half and had a generous penalty awarded to them in the first few minutes after advantage had seemingly been played and the ball dropped wide out from a pass. The penalty was kicked into the Mount 22, and from a drive to the line from the lineout, the home team got over to further their lead to 19-10.

Although the Old Firm were taking play up to the home 22, turnovers were giving the Wanderers the chance to clear downfield. An overlap for the Old Firm near halfway presented itself but poor passing saw the chance lost.

After 56 minutes, a 15 metre drive from a lineout in the Mount half took play into the 22 from where a Wanderers forward peeled off and run in near the posts for the bonus point try, with the conversion making it 26-10. After taking play up into the Wanderers 22, a soft penalty at a ruck gave the home team an easy penalty and a clearance to touch. With just 8 minutes to go, a frantic piece of play which saw both sides take the ball on and then lose it ended in the home team scoring in the corner to make it 31-10.

But the Old Firm kept going and after pressure on the home try line, prop Dean O’Brien, who was playing his 250th 1st XV game for Mount, capped it by driving over for a try, which outside half Morgan Cartwright converted to make it 31-17 in the 79th minute. Although there was quite a bit of extra time, there was no more scoring, leaving Mount with their fifth defeat from the last seven games.

With seven games to go, just 5 points separates 5th and 10th place. With positions 10, 11 and 12 to be relegated, a real dogfight will take place. With Mount in 6th place, wins are needed, it’s as simple as that.

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