Taffs Well 26 Trebanos 3
Saturday 27th October 2007.
Trebanos looked forward to this match with a quiet confidence after last week’s bonus point win in the league. Unfortunately the side that took the pitch at Maes Gwyn bore no resemblance to that which was selected and instead of just one youth team player, there were three along, with Nathan Bartlett from last season’s youth team.
Perhaps it was because of these last minute changes, Trebanos started slowly against a larger side who are second in division four east with only one defeat so far this season. The home side soon put pressure on the lighter and less experienced Trebanos eight and were rewarded with what looked like a simple penalty, but it was pushed just wide. Trebanos gained possession from the restart and from the ensuing scrum debutante outside half Nic Damjanovic fed centre Scott Barrett, who easily crossed the gain line before a crunching tackle from two defenders, saw him stopped in his tracks and suffer an unlucky injury. Trebanos had to reshuffle their already patched up back line and whilst they were still re-organising, Taffs Well scored their first try, from second row Spiller converted by captain R Hughes. Trebanos hit back with a penalty from centre Rhodri Thomas to cut the deficit which lifted the visiting team, who were now playing with a greater sense of urgency and were being helped along by some prodigious line kicking from Nic Damjonvic. Trebanos just failed to get the try that their play deserved when Owain George just failed to find support on his outside after the best Trebanos move of the half and was tackled ten metres short of the line, with the attack fizzling out.
The second half started as the first half had finished with the younger and smaller Trebanos side taking the game to Taffs Well, but unfortunately, just lacking the experience to finish off the chances that they were creating. After some ten minutes of Trebanos pressure the game was then played between the ten metre lines. Taffs Well then upped the pace of their game and took control for the final quarter and it is great credit to the Trebanos team that they defended as well as they did. The scores inevitably came and there were tries for replacement centre J Barry, scrum half A Bonetto and outstanding No8 G Gibbs with captain and full back R Hughes converting two to bring the final score Taffs Well 26 Trebanos 3.
Coach Chris Loader will take as much from this defeat, against a team from a higher division, as he was able to from last week’s display against league opposition. The pluses came from the young players who will have undoubtedly gained valuable experience from this game.
Trebanos Team:
A Penhale; M Morris, S Barrett, R Thomas, S Williams; N Damjanovic, O George; N Bartlett, D Davies, S Knight; L Davies, L Jones; M Evans, R Phillips, R Jones (Capt).
Replacements: J Bailey, J Harding, M Hurst-Hughes, C Meredith.