Today’s the Day – November 19^th

 2011 – 2012        Pencoed 16 – 22 Maesteg Quins

SWALEC Division 3 South-West

After well over a hundred years of rugby, given their close proximity to each other, remarkably this was the inaugural meeting between the two first teams. It was a sternly contested encounter, with both teams showing great character and the result in the balance for the full eighty minutes.

During the first quarter there was only one team in it. Pencoed were dominant throughout this period. After an initial penalty miss by the Quins, Pencoed made all the running.

They took the lead with a Marc Davies penalty for a midfield offside  and he doubled the score with another for a more ambiguous offence.

The Quins finally got on the front foot after this and they grabbed a foothold inside the home twenty-two. Despite the fortuitous nature of the line-out possession they gained, Quins made the most of it as they drove forward, shifted the ball into midfield before moving the ball blind and fine hands saw prop Dan Tabor canter over the try-line and run around the posts. Lewis converted.

Quins went on the attack once more and another midfield encroachment gave Gareth Lewis the opportunity to extend the lead to four points.

Wing Lloyd Jenkins and particularly Geraint Evans ran elusively and caused Pencoed numerous problems, but Pencoed full-back Tom Cross was equally evasive. 

In the final move of the half a host of dummy runners checked the Quins midfield as the ball to be passed behind them to full-back cross who kicked ahead. The ball just clipped the finger tips of on rushing Nathan Morgan as he attempted to charge the ball down, thus playing all the Pencoed players in front of the ball onside. With nobody in defence, the lone Pencoed attacker only had to gather to score. The bounce was at just at the right height and direction but the angle was too acute for Lee Jenkins to gather and the ball went harmlessly into touch.

Pencoed’s scrum was beginning to creak and after standing up they were penalised, but the thirty eight metre attempt was missed by Lewis.

The Quins put some fine short passing moves together and they punctured the Pencoed defence on a number of occasions, without really finishing the moves outright. From one such move Pencoed failed to roll away from the ball. With the tight 10-6 score-line, it was a brave decision to go for the scrum. It paid dividends as the phenomenal drive led to Pencoed to drop the scrum and a penalty try was awarded.

But the Quins were unable to shake Pencoed of their tails as immediately, instead of thumping the ball downfield a kick-off take the ball was passed along the line. Robbie Morris who kept Pencoed at bay with a fine defensive tackling display, was charged down after being caught in five minds. The ball was re-gathered and Cross went over the line after some inter-passing with Davies converting.

To add insult to injury a pointless example of petulance by the Quins was spotted by the referee. after the ball was grounded and a penalty was awarded to the hosts. A penalty was awarded to Pencoed for the restart and the kick for goal drifted wide. Gareth Lewis hammered the ball deep into Pencoed territory 

From this position Pencoed felt the pressure and handed Quins in the form of another line-out. Dean Ronan who had given the pack a new impetus instigated a thirty metres drive from a line-out. The ball was whisked blind and Nathan Morgan dropped over the try-line.

Another charge down allowed Davies to kick another penalty to bring his team within a converted try of victory with five minutes remaining.

A couple of sorties allowed Pencoed to briefly get into the Quins half, but Morris, Lovett and Healy managed to snuff out the possibility of a home victory.

The Quins added another valuable win on the road to their tally at the half way mark of the season and remarkably remain undefeated.

15. Geraint Evans 14. Nathan Morgan (T) 13. Ryan Lovett 12. Robbie Morris

11. Lloyd Jenkins 10. Gareth Lewis (c) (2C PG) 9. Nick Flay

1. Daniel Tabor (T) 2. Sean Cleary 3. Richard Teesdale 4. Steven Davies

5. Carl Roberts 6. Chris Cody 8. Rhodri Roberts 7. Andrew Healy  

Penalty Try

Replacements

16. Daniel Hughes for S. Davies 17. Dean Ronan for S. Cleary

18. Kevin Quigley for D. Tabor 19. Chris Jones

1988 – 1989      Quins II 15 – 22 Bridgend Sports II

One moment of slack tackling allowed the Sports to slip through and score during a period of intense Quins pressure. This helped defeat the Quins seconds in this match at Llangynwyd.

A week after scoring five tries against Cwmafan, Sheridan 'Marvellous Marvin' Jeffrey was brought down to earth as he faced a formidable opponent. Such was the manner in which his opposite number ran pass him, the enthusiastic rendering of the bastardisation of the former Australian anthem and the chorus echoed around the bar all night: “Waltzing round Marvin, waltzing round Marvin… who’ll go a waltzing round Marvin with me?”.

15. Mike Kehoe (c) 14. Sheridan Jeffrey (T) 13. Illtyd ap Dafydd 12. Jason Page 11. Robert Evans 10. Andrew Lewis (2C PG) 9. Andrew Lloyd

1. Dai Berry 2. John Thomas 3. Steve Cody 4. Dennis Brennan 5.Simon Thomas  6. Steve Thomas 8. Adrian David 7. Peter Jenkins

Penalty Try

1949 – 1950

MAESTEG QUINS SECURE ANOTHER VICTORY

Neath Athletic 0Pts Maesteg ‘Quins 8Pts 

Clever work by their three-quarters brought results for the Harlequins in their match with Neath Athletic at Cwrt Herbert on Saturday.

The game was played at a cracking pace ad it was kept as open as possible throughout.

Wing threes’ Hansen and Griffiths made some exciting touch-line runs and W.O. James was in excellent form at full-back.

Although they have a ground of their own now, this young Maesteg side are going on well and it is certainly encouraging for the future of Rugby Union in the valley.

The Quins went ahead at the interval through a brilliant individual effort by Hansen. P.C. Walters increased the score when he dribbled over after a forward rush started in midfield