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Bwl power to comeback

Ynysybwl were 3 – 17 points down at one stage in this SWALEC Division 2 east league encounter, and could easily have given up the cause. But as the game wore on they played to their strength and overcame a plucky Penallta side to earn another bonus point win.
The game was played in brilliant autumn sunshine watched by a sizeable crowd. And when the Bwl were caught offside at a ruck, Penallta outside-half Andre Soroko slotted over a penalty for the visitors.
The Bwl had a spell where they had their opponents under pressure. Their only reward though was a Ceri Cummins penalty to briefly level the score.
Penallta soon set their stall out, their pacey backs looking to run the ball at every opportunity. It came as no surprise when their full back, Karl Rees, joined the attacking line. For one such attack he showed a dynamic turn of pace to rip open the Bwl defence and crossed for the first try of the afternoon. Soroko converted.
And Penallta were soon back on the score-sheet as they punished a mistake from their hosts. A loose pass was kicked upfield for the visitors to win the race to touchdown for their second converted try.
From the restart the Bwl had Penallta under pressure and it wasn’t long before Cummins was adding his second penalty.
By now the Bwl were beginning to get the upperhand, securing plenty of possession. Good handling skills and an important off-load by the impressive Alun Thomas created space for Lewis Ryan to dive over for a try in the corner.
The Bwl continued to chase the game and following a quickly taken penalty inside the Penallta 22, Jake Thomas added a try for the home side. The near touchline conversion from Cummins edged the Bwl ahead.
The last play of the half was a successful penalty attempt for Penallta’s Soroko to swing the game back in his sides favour.

Half time: Ynysybwl 18 Penallta 20

The Bwl played to their strength in the second half, their power at the scrum soon had Penallta under all sorts of pressure. With Penallta penalised at their own scrum put in the Bwl kicked for a line out. As they worked the ball from the safely gathered throw in Sean Ireland exploited a gap in the Penallta defence to power over for a try near the posts. Cummins added the simple conversion.
The Bwl continued to dominate up front and penned their hosts in their own 22. But as the Bwl declined to kick several penalty attempts in search of another try the Penallta defence held firm.
As the game went into the last 10 minutes of normal time an injury to a Penallta front row player resulted in them requesting uncontested scrums for the remainder of the game. Any thought the visitors had of a tactical advantage, certainly the view of the Bwl supporters, was punished as the Bwl moved the ball wide following the scrum. As play went from one side of the field to the other the ball found hooker Phillip Hammond to storm over for the Bwl’s fourth try of the afternoon which secured a bonus point.