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    Tonyrefail 9 - Llantwit Major 8  

 

 

                                 Tonyrefail players and supporters alike were smiling when the final whistle signalled the end of this Div. 3 East Central B game to give the home side a deserved win against a team who were placed second in the league at the outset.  

                                  Lack of consistency has been a problem for Ton over the last few months but the two wins leading up to this game has given the team more confidence and with the wind at their backs in the first half they put pressure on Llantwit from the outset. They took the lead after seven minutes with a penalty goal by Owen Lewis before the visitors began to play themselves into the game. Llantwit looked to have more pace out wide  than Ton and they tried to use it but the conditions made handling and passing difficult and two chances went begging before they kept possession long enough to create mis-matches in the back line and they scored out wide but failed to add the extras. Ton's reply could not have been quicker as they were awarded a penalty from the restart when a Llantwit player fielded the ball in an offside position after a knock-on. Owen Lewis was again on target and this signalled a long period of territorial advantage for Ton but the wet and greasy ball meant tries were at a premium and they had to settle for another Owen Lewis penalty goal to make the half time score 9 - 5.

                                  With the visitors having the advantage of the wind in the second half only the most optimistic of Ton's supporters would have bet on a home win but the team obviously didn't see it that way. They took everything that Llantwit could muster and managed to keep them away from the try line. Just after the hour mark Llantwit kicked a penalty goal make it a one point game but Ton still did not buckle. They had a close call when the visitors drove a line-out to the try line but they won a penalty which allowed them to clear the line and another when a loose ball was kicked over the try line from mid field but a Ton player fractionally won the race to minor the ball. With five minutes to go Ton supporters were on tenterhooks but the players still had enough in them to work the ball upfield and take play deep into the visitor's half. The retained possession, eating up the clock, but were unable to add to their score before the final whistle sounded to resounding cheers.

                               This was the third win in a row for Ton and it has been a while since that last occurred. Defence, once again, has been the reason they have come away with the winners points and they are becoming more proficient at handling pressure. A few older players have returned and helped to make them more competitive and added to the team ethic. The pack, particulary, are not the biggest but they punch above their weight and are always difficult to break down.  Hopefully the team can now go forward with more confidence and consolidate their mid-table position. Next week they are away to Canton who are two places and four points below them in the league.