Fixture

Dunvant RFC | 1st Team 36 - 13 Birchgrove RFC | 1st Team
Steffan Castle
1 Conversion
2 Penalty
Haydn Manorek
1 Try

Match Report
18 September 2021 / Team News

THE TRIP ACROSS SWANSEA PROVES A TRIP TOO FAR.

A Depleted Birchgrove side made the trip to Broadacre today in the penultimate WRU Plate game still in search of that elusive first competition victory. Whilst every game so far in this “Group of Death” has ended in a nail bitingly close finish, today’s encounter proved to be a “Bridge Too Far” and circumstances dictated that we have come away with an equally battling but not so close 36 -.13 defeat.

Dunvant were first out of the blocks when a mix up in the visiting defence let in their backs who were quick to take advantage of the situation scoring the game’s first try , unconverted 5 – 0.

Birch almost immediately hit back though as a quick penalty enticed an early response from the home defence who had not retreated the mandatory 10 metres and from the closer distance Steff Castle slotted over the kick 5 – 3.

With 20 minutes on the clock and the encounter looking evenly balanced a fateful decision from the referee who adjudged what looked like an energetic but not illegal rip tackle on the advancing Dunvant Prop to be unlawful .

The resultant penalty increased the Dunvant lead to 8 – 3 but a long clearance soon put Birchgrove back within Castle’s kicking distance and a Penalty was gratefully received and dutifully converted 8 -6. The home side were in the ascendancy though and a strong set scrum set them up for their second try converted and a 15 – 6 lead.

The loss of maurauding prop Liam Richards further unbalanced the side but the visitors continued to battle with Rob Scrine probing the home defence and Adam Percival crash ball keeping the home defence on their toes. Lady luck, once again was not with us though as a surge to the line was disrupted and the home right wing was on off an 80 yard race to the Birchgrove  line . Running out of steam and with the cover defence closing down on him he was relieved to see his inside centre cruise up alongside and one well placed pass put the visitors 20 – 6 adrift with the touchdown and with the conversion 22 – 6 down at the turn around.

Dunvant start the second half with some vigour but with brave defending and some shrewd kicking we are back in to their 22 and things are looking brighter. What comes next sums up the fortune of Birch in this competition!!  Looking to puncture the home defence on the narrow side a pass goes astray, not falling innocently or harmlessly to ground but straight in to the arms of an eternally grateful home winger who pegged his ears back, opened his legs and raced away for a classic interception try and wide conversion 29 – 6.

A proud visiting team were not lying down though and despite the mountain to climb kept plugging away. But as all the gnarled exponents of the game surrounding me in the stand predicted, chasing a game carries consequences and sure enough a rushed line out was to take the visiting team by surprise. Quickly exploiting the situation the home side once again got themselves in to an attacking position and over for try number  5, a conversion and an unassailable 36 – 6 lead.

Playing now only for pride which has always been an acute motivator for this group of players as we have stormed through the lower leagues to take our seat at the “Top Table” it was no surprise that we continued to attack the opposition and the deserved Consolation Try from Haydn Manoreck was well deserved. Conversion by Castle 36 - 13

On the day we have to congratulate Dunvant on a clinical performance and having the ability to convert their chances in to points, the rub of the green was with them though and we are long overdue for a bit of that and although down today we were still able to prove we were by no means  Out.

No better place than the wheel of good fortune to swing in our direction than next week at the Bonymaen Citadel of Parc  Mawr.

We’ll be with you lads let’s give it a go !

 

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