Sep 3 2016
NATIONAL LEAGUE
ONE EAST CENTRAL
LLANHARAN 33 LLANTWIT FARDRE 0 (HT 13-0)
We got our 125th season off to an emphatically successful start with this six tries bonus point win against neighbours Llantwit Fardre.
The previous campaign had been calamitous for us after a host of summertime departures had left the squad threadbare, unable to record a single victory until the final league game in the National Championship.
But what a difference another summer had made with head coach Jeff Pick and his assistants Kevin Jones and Wayne Jervis, investing massive effort into rebuilding strength and spirit.
Huw Thomas’s men dominated throughout in conditions which must have had Paul Jones thinking of abandonment with torrential rain lashing down on proceedings.
The Ebbw Vale official handled play well and the game duly went its full span with Llanharan showing a quality that belied the elements.
The score though would certainly have been higher on a dry day, while to be fair to Andrew Evans’s visitors, they battled bravely to keep the rampant home team at bay.
But the signs were there early on that Fardre were in for a long afternoon as a Richard Hart run led to Lloyd Thomas’s 3rd minute penalty.
Nothing more came for another half hour with Josh Austin, Joel Ringer, Kieran Martin and Chris Poole often prominent as the team surged towards the line.
A try had to come and it arrived in the 36th minute after handling that would have graced a dry ball day, new right wing Stuart Griffiths accelerating over wide out.
Another came just before half time, Griffiths and Poole instrumental in the approach and Richard Lawrence, who did a fine job as stand in scrum half, finishing off.
With the storm at their backs we pressed relentlessly after the turn around, Huw Thomas breaking from the scrum to create the pressure that gave rangy second row Kieran Martin his side’s third touchdown.
Skipper Thomas was increasingly influential in keeping Llanharan’s loose play cohesion, and Lloyd Thomas, back in first XV ranks after many years opting to play Second team rugby, capped a good display by pouncing on the loose ball after a poor Llantwit line out.
Back row man Thomas himself added number five, Llanharan’s solid set piece creating a pushover score, while another Austin break saw the classy Poole get the final five points.
Team:
15. Jack Pring
14. Stuart Griffiths (try) (Rhydian Worgan) 13. Chris Poole (try) 12. Gareth Dyer (Liam Union) 11. Josh Austin 10. Lloyd Thomas (try, pen) 9. Richard Lawrence (try) 1. Rhys Taylor 2. Gethin Cashmore (Sam Llewelyn) 3. Joel Ringer (. Matt Phillips) 4. Richard Hart 5. Kieran Martin (try) 6. Lee Morris (. Ellis Goode) 7. Owain Howe 8. Huw Thomas Capt (try)
Match Report by Hugh Smith. Images by Richie Jenkins.
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