Fixture

Despite an impressive start to the season New Panteg travelled to their hosts shorn of a number of key players who were still on warm weather training in the Mediterranean. The coaches were forced into a reshuffle of their small squad with players asked to play in unfamiliar positions and with untried combinations. Recent history suggested that a visit to Hafodyrynys would prove difficult and ultimately unrewarding for New Panteg and the first 20 minutes of this encounter did nothing to dispel these misgivings. Hafod were on the front foot almost immediately with a strong set piece which forced Panteg onto the defence continually. This pressure soon resulted in a penalty kick for an indiscretion and this saw Panteg concede their first points of the league campaign to a well struck kick. Panteg were soon further behind when Hafod powered over from a 5 metre scrum for a well-deserved score considering the possession disparity. New Panteg were forced to dig deeper than they have been required to this season and after good approach work by both backs and forwards, skipper Dan Young burrowed over to reduce the deficit. Despite this the host were still on the ascendancy at scrum time and the referee deemed that a collapsed scrum warranted a penalty try which cancelled out the Panteg score. Nearing half time Panteg were gaining parity against a tiring Hafod pack and the increased possession saw effervescent hooker Gardner power through a weakening defensive line for a second score.

The second period saw New Panteg up the tempo considerably and a clever kick by centre Jackson was acrobatically collected by his fellow midfielder Reader for an excellent early score. Even though Panteg had reversed the possession statistics, Hafod were playing some robust rugby with the ball they had. The official gave a second more dubious penalty try to Hafod for a deliberate knock on despite a two handed attempt at an interception which very nearly stuck. With the scores level Panteg showed they had another gear to go up and this proved clinical as firstly Gardner motored over for his second and a bonus point score before a sublime box kick from the impressive Watkins at scrum half saw replacement flanker Trigger cross for the decisive score. Pivot Daley playing his first game for the club in that position added 3 conversion and a penalty after being delegated the kicking duties and also led the makeshift backline with confidence.

This was undoubtedly New Panteg’s toughest test of their league campaign so far and a stringent examination of the club from a squad perspective. To again achieve an away victory coupled with a bonus point is testament to the closeness of the entire group. The Man of Steel was again closely fought with candidates across the field but Lloyd Jackson got the nod for his energy in both defence and his line breaking abilities and organising in attack.