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28 April 2019 / Club News

MATCH REPORT: TWO TRIES TENOR SECURES BONUS WIN

Saturday April 27th 2019

Maesteg Quins 28 – 22 Narberth

WRU Championship

Hurricane Hannah brought high winds that blew down the valley directly across the field, but thankfully no rain. Entering the final five minutes leading by a solitary point, Quins watched uneasily as Narberth points machine Nick Gale teed up a penalty.

Prior to this, Quins opened the game camped in the visitors twenty-five. Narberth were not allowed to settle, pinned back by the Quins who were winning the gain-line collisions with a committed, tenacious, ferocity.

Rhodri Bwye cheekily stole possession, allowing Aled Evans to take play to the Narberth try-line. When all seemed static, Rhydian Jenkins smuggled and sniped over for the opening try. McGuckin converted.

Re-claiming the ball and on the attack, Quins ‘no look’ pass flamboyance, gifted the visitors possession. Going on to win a penalty the Otters spread the ball for centre Price to slip through and send Liam Hutchins in at the corner.

Narberth ran out of defence only for the carrier to be isolated. Aled Evans won a penalty and McGuckin converted.

Quins’ discipline was infinitely better than in the return fixture. Yet poor habits returned for twenty minutes. Seeing off the initial danger after the restart, Quins got to half-way only to concede two penalties.

Winning a penalty on half-way, instead of applying patience and using the wind to build pressure, Quins took a quick tap and knocked-on.

From this Narberth created a potent attack that was foiled by slapping down a pass. Nick Gale cut the deficit to two points.

A blatantly illegal ruck steal gave Gale a chance to put his team in front from inside his own half, but the wind assisted ball sailed wayward.

Narberth took the lead at the commencement of the second half. Regathering a Garryowen, the Otters went wide. Top try-scorer Jack Price used his pace to skip through and touch down.

Quins began to control matters from this point. Despite coming off second best at the scrum, with a pack containing six back-rowers and two front-row forwards who play like additional flankers, the hosts were superior at the contact area.

Tenacious tackles flew in. Whether isolating carriers creating choke tackle turnovers or tempting penalties at the ruck, this was a relentless display to keep potent opponents starved of quality ball and continuity.

Winning another penalty for not releasing, McGuckin brought his team to within two points of the visitors.

Two chances to take the lead were lost when a knock-on prevented a try. Advantage was being played for offside, but the point-blank penalty was hooked.

The replacements made a huge and immediate impact. From a wheeled scrum, the visiting No.8 picked up and lost possession. Mike Owen duly gobbled up the ball, ate up the twenty-yards and barged over to score.

Replacement scrum half Ben Davies scorched earth on a thirty yards break. Trying to keep the move fluid, he put in a great inside pass that was only thwarted by a retreating hand getting in the way.

Tadgh McGuckin controlled affairs well. His darting runs and accurate passing kept the Otters busy. His line kicking pinned his opponents down and his team trundling forward. Then came an astute, pin-point chip. Bouncing in-goal at an oblique angle, it caused a calamitous disarray. Replacement Callum Powell exhibited his finest qualities: pace and an ability to sniff out a try. Beating even those initially inches from the ball to the touchdown, his score gave the Quins breathing space.

Narberth are not second in the league through luck. Their collection of talent has a good record of eclipsing teams in the final minutes, even when under the cosh.

An alleged knock-on at the re-start gave Narberth field position. Their centre partnership worked its magic for Leon Randall to break through and score. Gale converted and with eight minutes left, Quins led by a point.

Gathering a clearance, Quins ran the ball with all support players in front of the carrier, instead of turning Narberth with a kick. Punished by a penalty, then another for an offence afforded the Otters the match winning opportunity.

Back to the kick, for this twenty-yards attempt Gale was kicking into his howling namesake. Men who have failed at the ‘lucky end’ of a Saturday night will have experienced the same feeling. After all the excitement, expectation and early promise; despite every effort, for reasons beyond individual control the kick ran out of steam and drooped harmlessly in the face of the intended target.

Quins had to regain control. A precise, raking touch finder put them in the right area of the field. Spoiling the line-out, Quins won a throw-in.

Harmonious interplay between front-row duet Jay Ronan and the on-song Rhydian Jenkins, saw the latter end the game with a crescendo scoring his second try.

Make no mistake, this bonus point victory over one of the league’s leading lights has been on the cards. Coming against semi-professional, perennial Championship runners-up Narberth, makes this the greatest result in the best ever season in Quins history.

Driving them on is the prospect of finishing in fifth spot. Punching way, way above their weight, such a finish would make the Quins the second-best amateur side in Wales. A truly magnificent achievement, but Tata stand between them and this goal in the final fixture of the season at South Parade next Saturday.

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