Porthcawl 22 Sports 21

Squad - N Townley, S Narbeth, M John, A Issacs, S Hearne, M Murphy, R Dowling, R Wallis, G Punter, M Chapman, M Harris, J Bryant, K Roberts, C Norris, J H-Davies, I John, A Ward, J Lorimer

I doubt if there has been a better game in this league this season. High flyers Porthcawl were given the fright of their lives in this close encounter. Having lost and drawn to leaders Aberavon, Porthcawl were the hot favorites.

Good Sports pressure from the kick off had Porthcawl on the back foot with Anthony 'Zac' Isaac kicking impressively to gain field position for the Sports in the opening minutes. We were rewarded after only 5 minutes when the back row combination of Punter, Dowling and Wallis ripped the Porthcawl defense apart and Mark Harris picked up a fine try when in good support. Townley made it 0-7.

Porthcawl were not in the game and although their lineout forwards were dominant, the threes were not penetrating at all. The Sports tackling was some of the best of the season. Some intelligent placing of our threes on the defensive ball saw Zac in the face of Porthcawl fly half Manaseitava and Townley drifting to outside centre.

However, in their first visit to the Sports line, from a 5 yard scrum, Porthcawl showed their strength with a well orchestrated drive over for blind side Long to make it 5-7, Phillips failing with the conversion. Gary Punter was winning good ball at the line out for the Sports, which allowed Townley to set up good field position for the Sports. Something that was not so consistent in the second half.

Scrum half Owen Pengilly was playing a very intelligent game and when he released fast ball from the scrum Michael 'Mitch' John made it look easy when he glided through the home defense. Townley converted on half time making the score 5-14 to the Sports.
At the restart the Sports continued as they had left off and it was Punter who stole the Porthcawl throw in on the Porthcawl 22 metre line with 'Raging Bull' Jo Bryant driving forward through the Porthcawl defense supported by the whole Sports pack. It was Ryan Wallis who was on his shoulder to drive over for a third try which Townley converted from the touch line. 5-21 with the Sports thinking of a bonus point coming with their 4th try.

However, Porthcawl had different ideas and changed their tight forward game and began to open their play with half-back Manaseitava and open-side, Wintle instrumental in this fight back.Roberts fed quick ball from a scrum, in the Sports 22 and with a simple miss move it was full back, Vacagenu who touched down out wide, the conversion failing and at 12-21, Porthcawl were in the game for the first time with 15 minutes left.
At this stage a 'kickable' penalty for the in form Townley was turned down and a field position kick opted for. For this remaining time the Sports found it hard to clear their line and there was consistent Porthcawl pressure as the Sports tried to run from their own line and were punished after a Porthcawl turnover allowed Wintle, in great support, to score in the corner.

Now at 17-21, and 5 minutes left it was Porthcawl in attack and the Sports tackling their hearts out. It was Manaseitava who scored the winning try right on full time as the Sports had tackled themselves to a standstill in the final moments. Porthcawl won. A draw would have been fairer and if you heard the berating that the home team had after the game, from their coach, you would say the Sports had the moral victory.