Fixture

New Panteg took on the formidable challenge of Bargoed Warriors this week a team who have a host of players with Premiership experience. This experience was evident from the start as they showed great team organisation and structure but New Panteg had some early chances to take the lead. Poor handling and sloppy passing let the home team down on two occasions when a try seemed the likely outcome. The Warriors were bristling with hard running ball carriers and despite some resolute defending for twenty minutes; New Panteg’s try line was finally breached. The visitors added three more well worked tries before the break for a comfortable lead but the host were certainly in no mood to wave the white flag.

New Panteg’s set piece was working extremely well and this continued in the second period despite the coaches changing seven of the pack. Number eight Daniel Gibbings is proving inspirational since his recent signing and it was his good work from the base of the scrum that enabled winger Jonny Munro to squeeze over and fullback Lewis Bury converted brilliantly from wide out. The Warriors showed the obvious class and upped the tempo to score two more tries of their own before New Panteg combined to score the try of the game. The forwards won good set piece ball deep in their own half, before a scintillating backs move involving switch moves and exceptional handling resulted in Scott Daley scoring beneath the posts.

The Warriors scored the final try of the game but they were extremely generous in their praise for the young New Panteg’s performance which bodes extremely well for the future. The coaches will take many positives from the game, not least the ability to give 26 players game time. Daniel (Dukey) Gibbings was unanimously awarded the man of the match.