Penarth Sport
Dinas take derby day bragging rights - and a season's double
8:20am Thursday 16th February 2012
Old Penarthians 9 DINAS POWYS 14
THE progress that Dinas Powys RFC have made in recent months is shown by the fact that they have gathered 23 more league points so far this season than their near neighbours, the Old Penarthians.
But the disappointment in the Villagers' changing room after the game was genuine and heartfelt, and resulted from their failure to produce a performance comparable to those of recent weeks.
Local derbies often produce dour, dismal matches where local rivalry raises or lowers performance levels, and this was a poor contest that saw most spectators drift off to watch on television the equally poor fare on offer in the Italy v England international in Rome.
The Villagers dominated the first half and led 6-14 at half time, the home side managing to score 6 points whilst entering the visitors 22 only once during this period.
The first half was a disjointed affair as a series of high tackles, swinging arms and melees tested the mettle of the youthful Villagers forwards. Lewys John, at 20 years old, and Josh Dunleavy, aged 19, emerged from the conflict with honour and never retreated all afternoon.
The Villagers' scrum was dominant and a scrum in the shadows of the home posts after 20 minutes allowed the maturing number 8 Nick Vaggas to pick up and drive to within inches of the tryline.
The ball was presented clinically and picked up by Morgan 'Shadow' Williams who crashed over for the opening score. The conversion was added by Dye Lloyd sporting his newly bleached hair, and the visitors led by 7 points.
Immediately from the restart the hosts were awarded a penalty that was converted successfully and the score limped on to 3-7.
After half an hour the Old Penarthians mounted their first attack but this was repulsed by stout Villagers defence.
The Villagers' threequarters were suffering an off day as overlap after overlap was created and wasted through poor passing. The immaculate centre Michael 'Biffy' Smith was always beating the first tackler and had he been fully fit he would surely have finished some of these line breaks himself.
Right wing Nick Coles belied his youthfulness and danced his way around and through the home defence with aplomb, and the extension of the Villagers' lead seemed inevitable.
The hosts were proving competitive at the breakdown and slowing down the quick ball that the classy Dinas backs thrive upon.
When Old Penarthians gained a scrum the Dinas Powys forwards with the gnarly front row of Mike Jones, Lloyd Horwood and skipper Tom Paterson supported by Dunleavy and Gareth Bennett produced a magnificent effort and pushed the home side off their own feed, and the danger was cleared to touch.
The resulting lineout resulted in a penalty for the hosts and with the penalty kicked successfully, the score stood at 6-7 with 5 minutes of the first half remaining.
The durability of the hosts had to be admired and it took a fine team try to extend the Villagers' lead.
A powerful scrum allowed the dynamic Vaggas to carry powerfully, with Coles beating the first tackler before feeding the ever present Morgan Williams and on to Adam Williams who drew two defenders before passing to Michael Smith to add to his season's mounting try count.
The centre plies his trade for Dinas Powys Youth when they have a fixture and it was fortuitous for the Villagers that their match was abandoned earlier in the day.
With Lloyd adding the conversion the Villagers unbelievably had completed their scoring for the afternoon and led by 6-14 at half time.
The second half started with Dinas again dominating the early exchanges. A mis-cued clearance kick was skilfully gathered above his head by energetic scrum half Kieran 'Kezzo' Spear and he advanced to within a few metres of the home tryline.
Lewys John carried the ball yet closer and then with an overlap created the ball was passed to a decoy runner that held the home defenders instead of being moved wide. The feeling amongst the coaches Andy Vesey and Dick 'Chunk' Boyland was that their young charges were trying too hard to complete the victory.
The game was turned on its head when, within 10 minutes of the start of the second half, injuries were suffered by two home front row forwards and the final half hour of the match was to be completed with passive scrummages.
With his area of expertise negated, Villagers' captain and loose head prop Tom Paterson was replaced by Joe Khan. The remainder of the game was similar to a poor version of the Eaton wall game, the only highlight being the introduction of Paul Langley for the Penarthians.
The hosts added a further penalty kick which gained them a bonus point for losing the game by less than 7 points. Those who enjoy exciting rugby would have to wait 24 hours to watch the national side defeat Scotland at the Millennium Stadium.
* The Villagers return to the Common this Saturday when they entertain Ferndale in a 2.30pm kick off.