Round 12. Indigo Group Premiership 2022/23

CAPTAIN LOCKE LEADS HIS SIDE, TO FINE AWAY WIN.

RGC 1404 18 MERTHYR 25

Tuesday 27th December 22 (Stadiwm CSM)

The Ironmen got back to winning ways, with a hard-fought victory over North Wales side RGC 1404 at a rain swept Colwyn Bay in front of a large home crowd, a game live on SC4. The home side were first on the scoreboard when a kick down field was collected by home full back Sam-Earl-Jones who raced back up-field beating the Merthyr defence and a clever kick head inside the Merthyr 25 was snapped up by Captain Afon Bagshaw who touch down, the conversion just going wide. Merthyr began to settle to the poor playing conditions as they put several good phases together but little errors and drop balls preventing them from a score. The home backs look very dangerous with ball in hand and after several forward drives inside the Merthyr 25 with the home backs moving the ball wide scrum half Efon Jones broke away to score, outside half Dion Jones added the points and RGC had taken a 10-0 lead. Merthyr hit straight back when RGC were caught off-side at a ruck with Gareth Thompson making no mistake with a well struck penalty. The home side were then reduced to 14 men when scrum half Efan Jones was yellow carded for a high tackle on full back Ben Jones who had to then leave the field. From the penalty Merthyr kicked to touch and from the line out won by Captain Craig Locke the Merthyr 8 drove RGC over the line with hooker Rhys Williams claiming the try, Thompson going wide with the kick, but the ironmen had closed the gap, 12-8. Both sides had further scoring opportunities but with the rain pouring down the ball became hard to hold onto, but just before half time Dion Jones slotted over a penalty from 30 meters to give RGC a 15-8 half-time lead. Both sides had opportunities early in the second half to score but little errors, drop passes, under the slippery ball prevented a score, but the Ironmen forwards were beginning to take control with several scrum drives, driving RGC 8 off their ball. Merthyr looked to have scored when a long pass from replacement full back Morgan Meaclem was caught by wingman Sam Jones who raced over in the corner only to be brought back for a forward pass, with referee Dewi Philipps playing a penalty advantage Merthyr kicked for touch, and after a clean catch the Merthyr pack drove for the line, when held up short scrumhalf Soanes spread the ball wide and a loop around pass by Thompson and Lewis found wingman Sam Jones in space to make no mistake with the try, Thompson converting from the touch line to draw the scores level 15-15. With 10 minutes remaining it was anyone’s game but the Merthyr 8 under the leadership of Craig Locke began to take the game to RGC and when a scrum on the halfway line was shunted 10 meters backwards Merthyr were awarded a penalty. From the attacking lineout Merthyr drove forward and were awarded a penalty 25 meters out, Thompson slotted it over and Merthyr had taken the lead for the first time 15-18. From the restart the ball was kicked into touch, Merthyr wining the lineout with replacement number 8 Phil Rees driving the forwards up field and when a kick ahead from Soanes was spilled by Dion Jones, replacement outside half Josh Lewis kicked head to touch down, Thompson converted to give the ironmen a 10-point lead 15-25 deep into injury time. It was the home side who had the last score when Jones slotted over a late penalty for a losing bonus point. This was a fine away win for the ironmen who completed the first double of the season, as not many sides come away from Colwyn Bay with the points. For Merthyr it was the hard work of the Merthyr forwards especially in the second half that won the game. Well led by captain Craig Locke, and supported by co- forwards Williams, Bradbury, Daley, and McBride. Behind the scrum Soanes and Thompson kicked well, and wingman Sam Jones looked dangerous with ball in hand. Also, full credit to the Coaches, Roland Phillips, and Gareth Davies for using the bench that changed the game around especially in the second half.

MERTHYR:15 B JONES(31 mins M Meaclem),14 S JONES,13 D THOMAS, 12 M SIENIAWSKI, 11 T GEE (67 min J Lewis), 10 G THOMPSON, 9 J SOANES, 1 C LEWIS(62mins L Jones), 2 R WILLIAMS(62 mins L Wiggins), 3 R LEWIS(70mins J Rogers), 4 C LOCKE©, 5 C BRADBURY, 6 P McBRIDE, 7 T JEVONS, 8 T DALEY(70 mins P Rees), 16 L WIGGINS,17 L JONES,18 J ROGERS, 19 L ASHLEY, 20 P REES, 21 C SMITH, 22 J LEWIS, 23 M MEACLEM.

SCORERS, R WILLIMAS 1T, S JONES1T, J LEWIS 1T, G THOMPSON 2C, 2P.

REFEREE: DEWI PHILLIPS(WRU).