By Tom Jameson – U12 Manager
‘Ghosts of Beatings Past’
It was an age, a bleak rugbyless epoch spanning 7 weeks no less. We’d trawled the fixture pool as far west as Nantyffyllon, and as east as Rhymney Gwent, all efforts however were washed away on a tide of cancellations and U12 frustrations.
Finally we washed up on the mountain. Pentyrch’s home at the summit of the Garth was hardly a dry dock but at altitude it was one of the few places in the district likely to still have a pitch worth the name!
And so finally a match and the uncomfortable familiarity of the ‘Spear Throwers’ in Black and White, much improved and still fresh in their minds the Blues Cup drubbing of our boys back in the autumn. Sideways rain and a stiff breeze amounted to a comparatively balmy day to compare with the weather of late and as the opposition lined up we sent our boys out with one make believe message and one downright lie. We said the Zulu Warriors of the Garth were complacent in our midst, and the Blues Cup? We said “What Blues Cup, it never happened”.
Sometimes bluff and hot air work. From the outset our boys played with a valiant spirit, good line speed, great defensive pressure and a surprised Pentyrch were rushed into hesitant passing. Regular knock-ons gave us plenty of chances to break up play and give us our own chance to attack. Full Back Ben Hembury had a great run but came up short and Centre David’s effort only ended when he ran into midfield traffic instead of backing his pace on the outside. It was nigh on 20mins before the scoreboard turned and two quick Pentyrch scores exposed our weakness on the outside flanks despite Michael Triggs defending his wing with gusto.
No second half capitulation! No Blues Cup repeat and despite a third try, at 15-0 we fought back. Archie was excelling at No.8 and from the numerous scrums he picked from the base. With 20mins to go he broke free to score. Morgan’s conversion fell just under the cross bar but we weren’t done yet. The backs moved the ball and even Prop Dylan Booth cut the line with an angle right from the Outside Centres handbook. Pentyrch were pressured into a mistake and Centre David swooped to score under the posts. This time a successful conversion saw us just 3 pts behind. The ‘Zulu’ were rattled! Sam Thomes captained and led a continued spirited fightback but Pentyrch had the final say, nailing down our coffin once and for all with a try in, yes, you guessed it, the corner again. We’d fallen short, but had shocked our hosts with a gutsy show. The ‘Ghosts of beatings past’, banished by the ‘Spiris of the North!’
Pentyrch U12’s 20 – 12 Llandaff North U12’s
Tries:- A.Baxter, D.Burnell-Brown
Conversion:- M.Strinati
Man of the Match:- A.Baxter
Manager’s player of the day:- M.Triggs
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