Still smarting from the midweek defeat to Blackwood, Caerphilly
travelled to Newport Saracen's latest home in Maesglas. A game which
should have been targeted as a bonus point win for the league's top
team, turned into a dour display of rugby, on a poor pitch, in poor
conditions.
A win is a win, but Caerphilly will be smarting over the loss of a
bonus point in a match which they dominated 70-30 in posession and
territory. Not really wanting to target any area, the referee had
a poor game, constantly allowing the Saracens to collapse the lineout
drives, fall in front of the driving players, and blocking their path.
In fact Newports persistant infringing did a good job of slowing and
killing Caerphilly's powerful driving pack, killing their posession,
and strangeling their ability to score.
After several attempts in the driving facial wind of the first half,
Caerphilly made several attempts to cross the line, ball skills and
handling letting them down along the way. It took until the 35th minute
before flanker Rhys Watkins found his way over the line, helped along
by his pack, as Caerphilly drove the Sarries from their own scrum
to win posession. Kicking into the wind, Dean Watkins made a good
attempt at the conversion, the ball falling just short.
Expecting better in the second half, Caerphilly should have been piling
the points on the board. All they had to show for themselves were
two missed penalties, as the swirling wind played havock with their
kicking game. Much of the second period was spent camped on the Saracens
5mtr line, as the pack kept the ball close, the backs in the wilderness.
Caerphilly had to take most of the blame for their lack of scoring,
thwarting several opportunities for points. on 52 minutes, Sarries
were reduced to 14 men, their fresh prop taking the card for the team,
as the Sarries killed the ball for the umptienth with Caerphilly on
the attack. The visitors chose to take a speculative penalty, in the
swirling wind, to the dismay of the fans. eight minutes later, and
the Sarries were reduced to 13 men, as another replacement again entered
the bin, killing the ball during another Caerphilly attack. Again,
the decision, a kick at goal, which hit the posts, although a passive
scrum may have been a better option, as the replacement Sarries hooker
took a breather.
Sarries made little effort to break out of defence, their only effort
being a 10 minute spell as the forwards kept the ball close moving
up the field. A break by wing Chris Arnold almost producing a score,
dropping the ball unfortunetely in the process.
Caerphilly had Gary Davies sin binned in the final quarter, as aNewport
player furiously rucked for the ball, on his 5mtr line, and Chris
Williams entered the ruck driving davies unfairly backwards. Davies
retaliated resulting in a free for all. Davies taking his punishment
and leaving for a rest.
Caerphilly spent the final 10 minutes, ball in hand with the forwards,
as they kept ball in hand, unable to break down the defence of the
home side and only found a stalemate.
Four points in the back were skant consolation as Pontypool defeated
their nearest rivals Newbridge by 34 points to 10, closing the gap
to three points with two games in hand over the Virginia Park outfit.
Next week sees one of Caerphilly's toughest games of the season, as
they travel to Bargoed for a 1st v 3rd clash. Kick off 2.30pm.
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