WRU Bowl round 3
Cardigan 10 Usk 7
For the second match in succession Cardigan ended up winning a match they probably didn’t deserve to win but they won’t be complaining as they are in the hat for the next round! Writes Andrew Clarke.
It must have felt like a very long trip home to Monmouthshire for the Usk players after they threw away a chance of winning this game when a player walked ahead of the place kicker as he was about to boot his team into the next round.
With just a few minutes remaining of extra time in this tense encounter outside half John Green looked to have levelled the scores when his penalty sailed between the posts for a score of 10-10 but one of his colleagues had walked in front of him just before he put his foot through the ball and it was ruled out as all players must be behind the kicker.
At this point the Cardigan ranks had been reduced to 13 for the second week in succession and they looked on their way out, but once again it proved to be a lucky number thirteen for them and they hung on for the win just as they did a week earlier against St Clears.
The opening hour of this game was as grey and drab as the weather with the official in charge Joseph Rees the only man who stood out with his over use of the whistle, annoying most in attendance and the match went from scrum to penalty to scrum and had it been football the terraces would have soon emptied.
If all games were refereed like this rugby would die as he was so poor that both teams had had enough of him by the half hour mark. Almost every line out throw was deemed to be not straight, there were several calls back for a forward pass and to cap it all in the final seconds of the game replacement scrum half Aaron Evans broke blind and would have scored had Mr Rees not stood in his way. Rees instead of giving a scrum to Cardigan blew up for full time with the scores locked at 7-7.
His interpretation and management completely spoiled the game although both teams will admit that they were also poor for a large part of this game with some sloppy handling and clumsy kicking out of hand and the match only came alive in the last ten minutes.
This action was sparked off when second row John Pegginton drove over for a try converted by John Green after 70 minutes and this kicked the Cardi’s into action and with just a few minutes remaining hard working skipper Llyr Griffiths powered his way over for a try and impressive half back Luke Rogers converted superbly from the touchline to set up extra time.
Cardigan though did have one glorious chance to win the game in normal time when replacement scrum half Aaron Evans broke down the blind side with the line at his mercy but the official in charge got in his way.
There were few scoring opportunities in extra time with most of the play taking place in and around the half way line but it was the home team who took the lead when Rogers slotted over a penalty to make the score 10-7. Usk were given a chance to level just a few minutes before the end when John Green was presented with a penalty in front of the posts but his successful attempt was ruled out when one of his players walked in front of him as he kicked the ball.
Cardigan, who were reduced to thirteen men in the closing stages when replacement hooker Aled Phillips and centre Emyr Harries were yellow carded, managed to hang on for a place in the next round with replacement prop Ben Hughes making one crucial turnover right at the death and smack in front of the posts.
This really was a dire game for the most part but which was occasionally lit up by Cardigan number eight Colin Davies who was head and shoulders above anyone else on the pitch and he made countless breaks which unfortunately never led to anything positive. Usk were physically very strong across the park and they often turned Cardigan over but apart from their solitary try they never really threatened much.
Luke Rogers was a stand out performer for Cardigan along with back rower Davies, hooker Bedwyr Davies worked tirelessly and Emyr Harries at centre was outstanding in defence. Cardigan showed tremendous patience throughout as even the very marginal decisions went against them and the decent crowd in attendance were treated to an exciting finale in extra time.