News

Following the previous week’s victory at Pyle, Porthcawl went on the road to record a comfortable double down in the Swansea Valley.
The village hosts, always a side to be reckoned with due to their strong pack, showed great control to thwart early Porthcawl efforts to use a plentiful supply of ball and it was fully half an hour before flanker Louis Protheroe, Grandson of former Bridgend and Aberavon stalwart Paul Stenner, broke through the home defence to set up the ruck and earn an easy penalty, which fly-half Josh White put over to open the scoring at nil-3.
Led well by skipper Leon McNally, Porthcawl also had some great driving play from props Harry Olding and perpetual workhorse Jamie Uren, which paved the way in wearing down the home defence. A superb rip of possession by hooker Will Lampard led to a second penalty chance for White from 30 metres and nil-6 although this was scant reward for the amount of possession the Seaweeds had enjoyed to that point.
A chance for the first try of the match, was squandered however as Porthcawl’s four on two overlap resulted in a dropped pass, the chance now gone, going into the break at just nil-6.
The start of the second half was to see a better level of execution by Porthcawl and when after 50 minutes to opportunity came, they didn’t disappoint. Superb hands by lock Kyle Galtry made the opening, the ball recycled by McNally and the result a superb try for flanker Ben Asprea, goaled by White and nil-13.
White then added another penalty as Protheroe’s industry at the breakdown won the chance, before a super drive into defence from a lineout, saw the ball released and the skipper McNally, showing deft footballing skills, kicked through the flat defence and won the race to touch down for a marvellous individual score at the posts, with White’s conversion bringing it to 23 without reply.
Whilst the scoreline didn’t flatter the Seawweds at all, neither did it reflect the industry of the home side for whom captain Ethan Nicholls was a smart operator who kept his side on the go from scrum-half. Indeed, it was Nicholls who set up the position from which left wing Emyr Addey scooted over for a deserved unconverted try to get Ystrad on the board.
This score seemed to spur the hosts into throwing the ball around more readily, however that can sometimes be counter-productive and this proved so as Porthcawl sub Thomas Wilson intercepted near half-way and fairly galloped away down the left touchline to cross at the corner for a great try, bettered only by White’s outstanding conversion off touch to round off the scoring for Porthcawl and another victory which keeps them in third spot and in promotion contention.
Full-back Tom Davies was faultless throughout for the Seaweeds and deserves a mention, as does scrum-half Jak Robbins, who kept the possession flowing and was a terrier around the fringes and coach Rhys James will be pleased to get a win on the board before Saturday’s visit to Seven Sisters.
Paul Fielding