SWALEC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
APR 5 2014 BONYMAEN 3 LLANHARAN 9 (HT 3-3)
Forwards' coach Colin Malone could hardly conceal his delight as his pack's powerful display laid the basis for an important win on a wet and foggy day above the Swansea Valley.
Boosted by the return of suspended Simon Collins and a full eighty minutes from back row man Rory Martin- Smith following injury, the Llanharan eight dominated play and it was tribute to some fierce some defence from a Bonymaen side desperate to escape the relegation places that no tries were scored.
But behind, the in-form eight Rhys Walker played outstandingly as a stand in scrum half, spraying out a quick service to give his backs time to play.
None more so than the Williams boys, Lewis and Tyler, whose tactical kicking constantly penned Bony back.
Head coach Mathew Lloyd was equally fulsome in his praise, the former Pontypridd star singling out wing convert Walker as his Man of the Match and adding: “A very important win which was achieved with a team performance full of commitment. For once the awful conditions seemed to play into our hands with our pack dominating proceedings. Keeping our hosts try-less was also encouraging and special mention must go to our backs who also gave a performance full of control and tenacity.”
It was something of an irony though that the black and blues had won their last three on the road, but had been winless at the Dairyfield since October, Bonymaen one of the sides to have won there.
LLANHARAN
15 TYLER WILLIAMS
14 BENTLEY HALPIN
13 MORGAN WILLIAMS
12 GABRIEL DAVIES
11 TOM FARRAR-EVANS
10 LEWIS WILLIAMS
9 RHYS WALKER
1 SIMON COLLINS
2 NATHAN HUISH (CAPT)
3 TOM PIPER
4 DAN PARTRIDGE
5 JOSH PORTER (GETHIN CASHMORE 60-67)
6 RORY MARTIN-SMITH
7 SCOTT MALONE
8 HUW THOMAS
UNUSED REPLACEMENTS:
JACK HANES
BRADLEY MAIS
CARL LEATHER
CHRIS POOLE
Llanharan pens – Lewis Willaims 3
Bonymaen pen – Richard Cunniffe
Report by Hugh Smith, photos by Richie Jenkins.