WRU Bowl round 2.
Cardigan 5 Crymych 2nds 10
Supporters leaving the Gollop Stand shook their heads in disbelief after they had just witnessed one of the most humiliating sights ever seen at the King George field with their team having been knocked out of the Bowl. Writes Andrew Clarke.
Had it been Pontyberem or Pontypandy it would not really have mattered a jot, but to lose to local rivals Crymych and their second team to boot was a bitter pill to swallow and the Gollop faithful and their players will be reminded of this result for many years to come.
But the fans should not be surprised one bit as the writing has been on the wall for a long time and the Gwbert Road club which has a long and rich history is now a very poor relation to its more illustrious neighbours in Newcastle Emlyn and Crymych and if there is to be a fix it is going to take a long time to sort it and supporters will need to be very patient.
Crymych did not play like a second team and they were well worth their win and they will be disappointed that they didn’t succeed by more as they should have as they butchered a number of decent chances. However they did what Crymych RFC do best as a club, they played with intensity, with passion and with a deep desire to play for their team mates and to win.
They had in Trystan Llyr Griffiths and Dylan Phillips two players who in pied piper fashion led the way and the rest followed and they had a simple game plan especially after the interval with the wind advantage. They kicked intelligently into the corners and let the opposition play themselves out of the danger areas and they did it well. They strangled Cardigan into submission and Emyr Harries and his men never left their half after the break.
It would be too easy and too naïve to blame this defeat on young players, as Cardigan ran out with nine men with plenty of first team experience and who should have been able to build on what was a superb start for them.
Powerful back rower Gethin Jones rounded off a driving maul just ten minutes into the game to put his team 5-0 up and it appeared plain sailing for the hosts. However that was the closest they got to scoring for the rest of the match as Crymych inspired by blind side Phillips and number eight Griffiths, better known for his exploits on another stage, let rip.
The Preselimen came back strongly after conceding the early try and they were soon in under the posts when influential number eight Griffiths crossed for a try converted by Llyr Edwards.
The rest of the half was all Crymych with the home scrum rapidly falling apart and the visitors should have added to their try count as they created at least two very good opportunities.
Centre Edwards had an easy chance to increase the visitors lead but he scuffed his penalty kick whilst at the other end full back Llyr Jones was unlucky with a drop goal that hit an upright, bounced on to the crossbar but fell the wrong way.
The second half was all Crymych and they were to a man like a pack of hounds and turned the ball over whenever the opposition built up a head of steam with Phillips and second row Osian Evans outstanding. There was an obvious sign of Kevin Phillips in the way they went about their business and it is no coincidence that the former Wales and Neath hooker has coached most of the Crymych forwards at some stage of their careers.
Outside half Tomos Rees kicked sensibly into the corner in the time honoured Crymych fashion and he did it well and Cardigan were on the back foot for long periods and nearly always in their own 22 metre area. The visiting lead was increased when Edwards slotted over a penalty to make it 10-5 and Cardigan were still in the game but they just could not get out of their own half.
Player coach Colin Davies who was sorely missed, put former skipper Llyr Griffiths on at the break along with loose head Scott Payne and they managed to steady the ship a little but Griffiths who has just come back from a holiday abroad has not played for a long time and his introduction unsurprisingly, had little impact. He will though be a hugely influential figure over the coming months.
Cardigan, who reached the semi-final of this competition last season, tackled their hearts out and played their part in what was not a dour game but an entertaining affair despite what the scoreline suggests with young stand off James impressing once again under extreme pressure and teenage flanker Dafydd Rotie also putting in a big shift.
For Crymych there were none better than Sportsline man of the match Griffiths, a former hooker, coached by, yes well, who else. Phillips was also impressive at six and formed a balanced trio with open side Osian Rees. Second row Evans showed a huge appetite for tackling and fly half Rees orchestrated matters intelligently, but this was an all round team effort and one to be proud of.
Cardigan will need to move on quickly and start again as their very existence is on the line this season and they will need their strongest characters to stand up and be counted. Player coach Davies and his partner Mathew Monighan are two very fine rugby men and both are former players who are putting something back into the game. This has been a rare luxury at Cardigan in recent years which is in complete contrast to Crymych RFC where ex-players are seemingly queuing up to help.
The amiable duo have a huge job on their hands and they will not be fooled by the fact that their team are currently riding high near the top of division three and they will need time as they have been forced to give some of the new kids on the block a free rein and at the deep end.
What they will need is for supporters and players to be very patient, especially as they have some very tricky fixtures coming up in the run in to Christmas in division three and they could so easily end up losing the bulk of these.
The acid test will be how they cope with such adversity in the heart of winter.
For Crymych 2nds it will be onwards and upwards and a third round tie to look forward to whoever they draw.
