1 more game to go. 😁

Match Report

Llanharan RFC 57-10 Llanishen RFC

Saturday 21^st March 2026.

Llanharan welcomed Llanishen to the Dairy Field, for what was the penultimate match of the season for both teams.  In recent years, matches between these two teams have been tight and hard-fought affairs, with Llanishen emerging as winners from a high scoring reverse fixture earlier in the season.

Llanharan kicked off towards the club house, and left winger Ryan Griffiths showed his intent from the outset, sprinting through to claim Scott Jones’ kick off, however unfortunately the rest of the Dairymen weren’t on the same wavelength, and Ryan quickly got turned over.  What followed was a frenetic but scoreless first quarter, although the home team appeared to have the upper hand.  There were big carries from some of the forwards, including Jordan Pritchard, Joe Buckle, Tom Jenkins and Lloyd Gregory, however errors frequently seemed to deny pressure being turned into points.  Llanishen showed that they were prepared to attack from anywhere, meaning that the Dairymen had to constantly keep their wits about them in defence.

The deadlock was finally broken on the twenty-minute mark, when another Llanharan attack appeared to have come to nothing as the attackers conceded a penalty near the Llanishen line.  The ensuing penalty kick saw the visitors clear to their twenty-two, however their hooker overthrew to the lineout and Tom Jenkins pounced on the loose ball and carried towards the posts, before it was worked out wide to the left, and outside centre Iwan Griffith was able to canter in in the shadow of the scoreboard, five nil to the Dairymen,

Llanharan immediately went on the attack from the restart, but a series of penalties conceded allowed Llanishen to mount their own period of pressure, which eventually saw a Joshua James penalty for the visitors, reduce the deficit to 5-3. The home side were again on the front foot from the restart, which resulted in Llanishen having a defensive lineout on their own five-meter line.  Llanharan took the ball on the opposition throw, but it was spilled backwards as they looked to set up the rolling maul, however possession was retained.  The ball was first worked to the right, and then back to the left, resulting in winger Ryan Griffiths crossing wide on the left.  Scott Jones was on target with the conversion, making the score twelve three to the hosts.  Llanharan claimed the restart, and from a breakdown Taine Davies completed the exit with a box kick.  This was fielded by Llanishen fullback Lloyd Ivins on their own 10-meter line, he then launched an attack, which eventually resulted in second row Scott Brown crossing the try line.  Joshua James converted the try, to again reduce the deficit to twelve points to ten.

In the last play of the half, Llanharan again took the ball from a Llanishen defensive lineout close to their goal line, thanks to Rhys Dauncey.  Jordan Prichard then carried strongly before the ball was released to the backs, with hungry for work winger Ryan Griffiths profiting by coming infield and taking a well-timed Jack Brooks pass to cross near the posts.  The half-time score was seventeen ten to the hosts.

The second period started with the match still in the balance, and Ryan Griffiths twice had to chase back, to complete miraculous try saving interventions.  The first ten minutes of the half was again scrappy, with no addition to the half time score, fortunately the final thirty minutes saw the Dairymen play arguably their best period of Rugby of the season.  Callum Baldwin, Gethin Cashmore, Jack Dauncey and Harrison Pritchard all entered the fray, with Troy Johnson, Tom Jenkins, Joe Buckle and Lloyd Gregory making way.  It was Callum Baldwin, who made his first team debut last week, that scored the first points of the second half powering over for a try, shortly after Llanharan had taken ball against the head in a Llanishen scrum, the score now twenty-two ten, with the bonus point secured.  Shortly after the restart, Jack Duncey won an excellent turnover on half-way and fed Kieran Martin who went on a strong run before being tackled.  From the breakdown Jack Brooks received the ball and gave an excellent pass to Iwan Griffith who sped away for his second try, which Scott duly converted, twenty-nine ten to the Dairymen.

Llanishen enjoyed a rare foray into the Llanharan half but conceded a penalty in the shadow of Llanharan’s posts, which allowed Scott Jones to clear to touch on the Llanharan ten-meter line.  From the ensuing line out, the Llanharan rolling maul began rumbling towards half way, before Harrison Pritchard broke away and powered forward, popping the ball to Taine, who fed Jack Dauncey, the latter delivering a sublime pass out of the back of his hand, to put his brother Rhys over in the corner.  Scott was again in target with the conversion, to make the score thirty-six ten.

It was by now one way traffic, and Jack Brooks floated an excellent long pass to player of the match Ryan Griffiths allowing him to cross for his hattrick, again converted by Scott, to make it forty-three ten.  Jack Dauncey fielded Llanishen’s kick off, going on a strong run, before again releasing his brother, Rhys, who galloped virtually the length of the field, scoring unchallenged beneath the posts.  Scott was again on hand to add the extras, brining up the half century of points, fifty points to ten.

The last play of the game, saw Llanishen pushing for a consolation score, however Iwan Grifith had other ideas, intercepting on his own ten-meter line, and again racing clear, to score beneath the posts.  Scott’s successful conversion was the last kick of the game, making the final score fifty-seven ten to the Dairymen.

The score didn’t necessarily reflect the game, which was a contest until the last half hour, and in truth, it was only excellent defence from the Dairymen which prevented a determined Llanishen adding to their ten-point tally.  We wish them well for their final fixture, at home to Penarth this coming Wednesday evening.  Special mention should also go to young referee Paddy Bateman, who refereed the game to an excellent standard throughout.

Shortly after the final whistle, news filtered through that Penarth had lost away to bottom side Rhydyfelin, meaning that the destiny of the league title is now in the hands of the Dairymen.  Victory in our final league game, at home to St.Albans on the 4^th of April, would guarantee the title and promotion to the Championship.  It was only fitting that Gareth Nicholas and Andy Price were present for this afternoon’s match and they were the first to congratulate new coaching team Bill Carey, Mitch Jenkins and Alex Newbold for their outstanding efforts so far this season.