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      Tonyrefail 30 - 29 Wattstown

 

 

                          Tonyrefail supporters left the ground with big smiles on their faces after the home team turned a twenty- three point deficit into a one point win against fifth placed Wattstown in this Div 3 East Central B game at Tylcha Fawr.

 

                          Wattstown are always a difficult side to play and they have a physical edge to their game but Ton had the better of the opening exchanges. They took the the first scrum against the head and had the upper hand there throughout but their line-out was a bit hit and miss early on and all they had to show for their efforts was a penalty goal. Wattstown began to use their forwards to drive the ball upfield and levelled with a penalty goal. They persisted with their driving game and Ton were able to hold them out initially but in the ten minutes before half time they were steamrollered by three tries to give the visitors a comfortable lead. Ton could only reply with a second penalty goal.

 

                          Things were not looking good for Ton and they got worse when Wattstown went further ahead a few minutes after the start of the second half with another try. This gave them a twenty three point lead and Ton supporters could be forgiven for thinking that was it, but the players weren't ready to give in. They began to win some good line-out ball and moved it wide whenever they could and they put pressure on the Wattstown defence. A yellow card for a Wattstown player gave them more impetus and on the hour winger Chris Rand touched down. Owen Lewis converted and Ton were on the way back. 

                          From the restart they kept Wattstown in their own half using their superior scrum to good effect. Chris Driscoll crossed from close range and Owen Lewis again hit the convertion to narrow the gap. Wattstown were at sixes and sevens and could not cope with Ton's running game. Chris Rand got his second try with ten minutes to go and the difference now was four points. With the tension building Wattstown put in a big effort and denied Ton possession as they made their way up the field. Home supporters were probably thinking of a losing bonus point more than anything else when the Ton scrum half made a break from inside his own 22. Three passes later Sam Christopher touched down to give the home team the lead. The convertion attempt was wide but the whistle sounded to end the game and Ton had a bonus point win.

                          This was a terrific comeback by Ton but to some degree Wattstown were the architects of their own downfall. When the pressure was on they had players yellow carded and had to play the last thirty minutes with fourteen men. Having said that it should not detract from the effort of the home team to turn things around and take the winning points.