FIFTH PLACE FINISH FOR EMLYN

WRU Championship

Newcastle Emlyn 35 Glynneath 8

Newcastle Emlyn registered their first ever league win over Glynneath thanks to a powerful display with backs and forwards combining effectively and the reds will now finish in fifth place in the championship.

The first score came after some eight minutes play and came from the first worthwhile possession Glynneath had when outside centre James Roberts made a lovely outside break from the half way line. Brought down by some desperate Emlyn defenders the ball was quickly recycled for scrum half Alex Burton to cross for an unconverted try. Emlyn came straight back at the visitors and some powerful runs by pros Parry and Davies took play deep into the visitors twenty two but Glynneath just managed to clear their lines.

The next twenty minutes was basically all Emlyn pressure as they went through phase after phase of attacks but were unable to breach a solid Glynneath defence. Their speedy back five were able to spread out across the field to help their backs defend and despite the quality of first phase possession Emlyn were obtaining they lacked any sort of variety with which to breach the visitors defence. Eventually they changed tactics and from a line out some ten metres out for the Glynneath line the forwards kept the ball. When their drive was halted scrum half Dafydd Evans fed Luke Kendall with a short pass and the number eight was unstoppable from two metres out and he crossed for a try converted by full back Shaun Leonard.

The visitors three-quarter line always looked threatening when they had the ball and outside half Corey Jenkins and inside centre Greg Roberts made two excellent breaks which on another day would have led to tries. To their credit the Emlyn scramble defence just managed to get back and haul the attackers down short of the line, although they did concede one penalty which full back Dylan Francis converted to regain a slender lead for the visitors.

As half time approached Glynneath kicked the ball downfield and from inside his own half Leonard decided to run the ball back at them rather than aimlessly kick it back at them. The full back beat some four defenders and from the resultant rucks Joel James carried the ball at pace into the twenty two, another quick recycle saw the ball in Kendall’s hands and when he looked as if he was going to be brought down short if the line he slipped a sublime pass to supporting winger Llyr Jones who crossed under the posts for a try Leonard converted to give Emlyn a rather unexpected half time lead.

The second half was all about Emlyn attacking and Glynneath defending and with the home side adopting a more conservative approach to the game it was the visitors who were forced to kick downfield rather that run the ball at their opponents. Emlyn had an excellent start to the half when after only three minutes they extended their lead. From a scrum in the Glynneath twenty two outside half Mitchell Jones called a backs move and the two centres Hope and Jones ran dummy lines which completely fooled the defenders and Shaun Leonard ran through the gap created to score a try which he converted himself.

The reds were undeterred and continued to attack mainly through the ball carrying of their forwards. Joel James was outstanding in his timing of the run onto the ball and he proved to be a real handful for the visiting defenders, more often than not it would take three defenders to bring him down. Time after time Glynneath desperately managed to halt Emlyn attacks without conceding any penalties. When Emlyn were awarded a penalty just inside the opposition half Emlyn opted for the kick to the corner. From the line out another excellent take by Ryan Morgans saw all the forwards gather round him for the drive and there was very little Glynneath could do to halt the drive and Emlyn’s number eight Luke Kendall was accredited with the score converted by Leonard.

The fifth and final try of the day came on the half hour mark and proved to be the most popular of the day. From some loose play on the ten metre line the ball came back on the Glynneath side. The ever alert Owain Powell was quick to pick up the ball and sprint some thirty five metres to cross for his first try of the season, a fitting reward for all his hard, often unseen work, in the loose, the try was converted by Leonard.

Coach Marc Lloyd emptied his bench and there was a cameo performance from forwards coach Arwel Davies playing for the first time for nearly two years. Davies, in the veteran stages of his career, volunteered for action owing to the number of injuries the club have in the second row position and he showed some deft touches in his ten minute appearance.

The season ends this Saturday with the visit of Tata Steel to Dol Wiber and it is a great credit to the players and coaching staff that they will be able to look back on their second season in the Championship having finished a hugely creditable fifth in what is undoubtedly a very hard and unforgiving league.