CRYMYCH EDGE NAILBITER

WRU Plate

Crymych 12 Penallta7

Crymych produced one of their most gutsy performances for many a day to reach the last eight of the WRU Plate at the expense of the cup holders Penallta.

The Preselimen have endured a very difficult few months with a long list of players having succumbed to injury but they were almost back to full strength on the weekend and they proved that on their day they are a test for any side at Parc Lloyd Thomas at this level.

The visitors who are currently flying high in division one east took time to settle in the bitterly cold and windy conditions and Crymych did an outstanding job with the elements in their favour and they pinned Penallta in the corners and took the ball ‘up the guts’ through hard working forwards in the shape of Jason Nicholls, Lee Griffiths, impressive teenage prop Kemsley Mathias, Owain Evans, and skipper Rhys ‘Beaky’ Davies and they carved out a 12-0 lead at the break to show for all this hard work with centre Ifan Phillips slotting over four penalties.

The second half was always going to be tough and the hosts half backs of Rhys Davies at nine and Luke Rogers at stand off along with vastly experienced inside centre Gareth Davies needed to box clever and use the ball intelligently and keep the mistakes to a minimum and this is exactly what they did and they did this very well.

Penallta hit back early with a try when front rower Kieran Mahoney barged his way over after a sustained period of pressure from the visiting forwards and fly half Joe Scriven added the conversion to put his team within sight at 12-7.

The final quarter was a torrid affair as the weather took a firm hold and the pitch cut up in the afternoon gloom and it looked just a matter of time before the cup holders would finally break away from the Crymych shackles. However some outstanding tackling from back rowers, Aled Harries, Richard Sharp-Williams and Sion Colella and returning number eight Guto Davies coming off the bench, managed to stem the tide and the hosts hung on for a place in the latter stages of the plate.

The Preselimen will this week be eagerly awaiting the draw for the next round and have their fingers crossed for a home draw against anybody.