Wanderers through to Mallett Final

Wanderers 19

Dinas Powys 0

Unfortunately the early kick off and pitch location somewhat detracted from the game. Players from both sides turned up in dribs and drabs and Dinas Powys were forced to take the field without their scrum half.  It was then further delayed as the referee waited for a team sheet to be produced for the Dinas side.

On a grey evening at Riverside the Wanderers were first out of the blocks. From the kick off Cameron Gibbon and Josh Sheehan broke clear and play became established in the Dinas 22.  A series of penalties within kickable range were declined as the Wanderers turned up the pressure and a number of scrums and close quarter drives kept the Dinas side pinned down. Eventually the pressure had its reward when a move out wide was recycled back and second row Rob Weston crashed over for the first score. Luke Fish converted 7-0. Dinas started to warm to their task and after a poor kick chase from the Wanderers the Dinas backs sliced through only to be denied when they conceded a penalty right on the Wanderers line. Back came the Wanderers and Gibbon once again was the instigator. He broke clear from deep in the Wanderers half and as the defence appeared he put Phil Pariyo away. Pariyo needed no invitation and he raced clear and crossed near the corner flag despite the attention of several defenders. Fish converted 14-0. At this point the Wanderers were clearly on top despite Dinas’s valiant efforts. Another Dinas attack was thwarted as the ball, from a kick through, rolled into touch near the Wanderers line and the Wanderers responded to round off the scoring on the stroke of half time. Rob Lewis went close and after some more scrummaging Josh Sheehan rounded off a good half as he crashed over for the third try before having to leave the field to go to work. Half time 19-0.

As the dark descended for the second half so did the game. Both sides seemed to cancel each other out with very little to cheer the crowd. Both teams unloaded their benches to try to liven things up but despite that the game seemed to stagnate between the 10 m lines. Dinas had the better of the play but they lacked that killer play which would bring them back into the match. The Wanderers, content with defending, kicked possession away and sat back to absorb the attacks. Josh Male, Will Adams Jones, on as subs, went close for the Wanderers and a neat break by sub scrum half Morgan Louch petered out when he hit a patch of quicksand on the Dinas 22 which stopped his progress. The game ended when a lineout deep in Dinas territory was lost and the Dinas backs raced away for their best move of the game.  The effort deserved a try but the ball was dropped and the try scorer crossed the line and the full time whistle sounded after a scoreless half. Final score 19-0.

Wanderers scorers

Tries: Rob Weston, Phil Pariyo, Josh Sheehan

Cons: Luke Fish (2)

Massiv man of the match: Michael Owen

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