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Tylorstown 21 Penygraig 12

Tylorstown welcomed local rivals Penygraig to Penrhys park on a glorious autumn day, in front of a large vocal crowd. With Tylorstown sitting third in the league and Penygraig in forth a close game wasto be expected. Penygraig in fact being the last team to beat the Tigers on their own patch, back in March 2016 and this hard-fought victory brought the unbeaten home run to an amazing 18 games in a row.

Tylorstown started off the better of the two sides and were soon 3 points up with a penalty kick by fullback Chris Harris. On the restart the home team were again straight on the offensive and a big scrum by the Tylie eight earned a penalty which was kicked to the corner by Harris. After a sustained period of pressure, scrum half Dylan Lewis swiftly picked the ball up from the base of the scrum and darted across the away team’s try line for his 3rd try of the season and Tylorstown’s first try of the day, the difficult conversion out wide being missed, 8-0 to the home team.

With the home team dominating the first quarter of the game an easy win looked on the cards, but to Penygraig’s credit they soon came back into the match with a converted try, making the score 8-7. The visitors then missed the opportunity to go into the lead, when a penalty chance sailed passed the wrong side of the uprights. The away team’s tails were up at the moment and they were soon pressurizing the home team’s try line, only great defence by forwards and backs alike stopped Penygraig from breeching the home team’s try line.

Tylorstown’s second try of the day came as a result of quick thinking by scrum half Lewis as he picked up the ball from the base of the scrum in the Penygraig 22, he quickly broke the gain line and with the away team defence in disarray, fed the ball back inside to number 8 and player coach David Hefford, who crashed over the try line. Again, the difficult conversion out wide being missed making the score line 13-7.

The Tigers’ third try of the half was a gem, running the ball from their own 10 metre line, a fantastic pick up by young outside half Nathan Williams split the Penygraig defence, the ball was slickly worked to wing Chris Griffiths who managed to squeeze home in the corner for an unconverted try, making the score 18-7 at half time.

The second half started again with the home team on the attack, great handling and miss moves by the Tylorstown backs should have brought the bonus point try of the day. However, great covering defence by Penygraig nullified the attack. In a see saw match it was again the away team’s turn to pressurize the Tylorstown try line, but for the great defence by the home team, the score line would have been much closer.

Penygraig’s second try came as a combined result of a great break from their own 22-meter line by the fullback and some unaccustomed poor tackling by the Tylorstown defence. The fullback managed to make it to the home team’s 22-meter line before passing the ball out wide for the wing to cross over in the corner for an unconverted try making the score line 18-12. With the chance of victory in their grasp the away team went up a gear and lay siege to the Tylorstown try line, but again the home team rose admirably to the challenge and withheld the numerous attacks to keep their six-point lead. 

During the closing stages of the game Tylorstown managed to increase their lead through the boot of Harris to take the final score to 21-12.

Another impressive victory against a more than useful opposition, the game being won by a fantastic team defence and try chances being taken when the opportunities arose.

The second team were on great form when they entered the Dowlais festival of rugby, they won all their group matches with a 13-0 victory over Ynysybwl, 18-5 win over Dowlais and a 17-5 win over Caerphilly. They were supposed to play Brecon in the final, however the Brecon team went missing before the end of the tournament.

The First team are in cup action next week when they visit Cardiff side Rhiwbina seconds.