Wanderers battle to another win on the Road

LLANTRISANT 17

WANDERERS 20

“We’ll take another win on the road. We knew it would be tough and it was.” Commented Director of Rugby Martyn Fowler “The conditions were tough for both sides and dictated the nature of the game. We were under pressure for long periods but still showed, given the opportunity, we can score tries”

On a grey lunchtime in Llantrisant the heavy drizzle was certainly going to make it tough for players and spectators alike. The home side had an early chance to take the lead with a penalty but the wind blew the attempt just wide. With the conditions dictating events further penalty attempts were declined in favour of lineouts deep in Wanderers territory but the visitors were in mean mood and they were not prepared to give up a score lightly. Eventually the Wanderers broke the shackles and started to string some play of their own together. A driving maul was stopped illegally and Luke Fish stepped up to open the scoring with a penalty 0-3. Llantrisant responded quickly. After some aerial tennis from both sides a loose Wanderers kick was returned down the left wing. For once the visitors defence went missing and after some neat offloading the Black Army were ahead with their first try 5-3. The score galvanised the Wanderers and with Fish kicking well for position they started to dictate the play. From a move of several phases involving forwards and backs they stretched the home side defence and Will Adams Jones squeezed over in the corner to score the Wanderers first try 5-8. The visitors started to pile on the pressure with Lee Highgate and Myles Churcher going close but the Llantrisant defence was also in no mood to give up easy scores. Once again the Wanderers drove hard at the home side line and Josh Male ran a great line to pierce the defence out wide and register the visitors second try. Fish converted 5-15. As the half entered its final minutes the home side had a chance to reduce the arrears with another penalty but once again the wind blew the ball off course and the sides went into the break with the Wanderers ahead 5-15.

The second half began, and the Wanderers had an early penalty shot after a superb break downfield by second row Rob Weston but Fish also saw his kick blown away as it went just wide. Another chance went begging after a break involving Fish and Churcher and it seemed that the visitors would start to dictate the game but the home side had other ideas. After the Wanderers conceded a penalty from their own driving maul Llantrisant kicked deep and they started a long period of pressure. Moving the ball when they could but otherwise driving with the forwards they piled on the pressure and the visitors defence became more and more desperate. A number of penalties followed and the visitors were reduced to 14 for 10 minutes as Tom Penry Ellis saw yellow. The attacks continued and eventually the line was broken and the Black Army scored their second try 10-15. The game was in the balance but the Wanderers, not for the first time this season, showed they are built on a solid foundation. From a scrum in the visitor’s territory a lovely cut out pass from Fish put Loxton away. He crossed the halfway line and a superb dummy sent tacklers chasing the rain. He then fed substitute wing Ian Newbury who raced away to score the decisive try 10-20.

The final minutes of the game were spent with the Wanderers hanging on as once again their line came under massive pressure. The defence was stretched to its limit as the home side went in search of a losing bonus point and with the last play of the game they were duly rewarded with their third try which with the conversion made the final score 17-20.

Wanderers scorers

Tries: Will Adams Jones, Josh Male, Ian Newbury

Cons: Luke Fish

Pens: Luke Fish

Wanderers Massiv man of the match: Cameron Gibbon

Pics On flickr : https://www.flickr.com/photos/12570451@N04/