Fixture

Saturday January 4^th 2020

Glamorgan Wanderers 16 – 18 Maesteg Quins

Specsavers-WRU Championship

Despite the modest aggregate score-line the lead changed hands four times, as Maesteg Quins rang in the New Year with a tourniquet tight victory over Glamorgan Wanderers at the Memorial Ground.

Make no mistake, this away win is right up there with some of the greatest Quins victories. It also eradicates the home defeat at the hands of the Wanderers on the opening day of the season.

Forget the semi-pro team against amateur opposition, the historically Welsh rugby elite club versus former minnows and the fact this was a Championship match on the Wanderers’ patch; it was the Quins’ make do and mend mentality before they even set foot on the team bus which set this success apart.

With a flanker at tight-head, wing playing outside-half, flanker on the wing and No.8 at inside centre, while others bemoan such selection adversities, this Quins side rolled up their sleeves, knuckled down and competed for all their collective worth. Debutant flanker Emyr Williams instantly showed his thorough commitment taking the field and filling a centre berth.

A lightening start witnessed a slick Quins register the first score of the game. Forcing a scrum from the kick-off the coal black and blood reds powered forward. Gaining a penalty they set up a lineout deep in Wanderers territory with Jay Ronan forcing his way over for a try within the first five minutes.

Wanderers showed intent moving the ball wide, only for poor passing to let them down when a try seemed inevitable. Back came the Quins and Wanderers were forced to scramble to keep the Quins at bay. Just when it seemed the hosts had weathered the storm, a Geraint Evans penalty allowed the Maesteg men to extend their lead to eight points.

Awoken by the two Quins scores, Wanderers put try machine Phil Pariyo in for a score. Short converted from out wide to bring his team back into the game.

Wanderers took the lead for the first time with a Short high tackle penalty and it appeared the Quins would trail at the break.

As half time loomed, Quins’ scrum again proved decisive. After a series of sustained attacks the visitors were awarded a scrum within striking distance of the Wanderers line. The outcome seemed inevitable. The home side dug deep with a series of re-sets occurring before the Quins power proved too much. Sailing over the line Mike Owen steered the ball carefully to dab down. Evans converted and the whistle sounded for a five points Quins lead at the interval.

Wanderers began the half brightly and the Quins started to concede penalties. Short reduced the arrears with his second penalty, as the balance of the game tilted slightly in favour of the home side.

An offside offence allowed Short to put the Wanderers ahead 16-15 but again poor kick-off reception allowed Quins to re-establish some dominance in possession. After another long period of attacking play the Llynfi men were awarded a penalty to regain the lead. Yellowstone National Park has its ‘Old Faithful’ geyser that can always be relied upon to erupt. Once more pressed into goal-kicking action and in a game balanced delicately on a fine silk thread, the coal blacks and blood red’s reliable geezer – Geraint Evans kicked the vital goal to take them back into the lead.

An entire frenzied, frenetic quarter had to be played out. The Cardiff suburbanites faced a thoroughly gutsy, committed Quins. Scrum-half Cameron Jones was elected man-of-the-match by the home coaches, but the overall camaraderie and espirit de corps evident throughout the entire team turned makeshift into impregnable; susceptible into impervious and vulnerable into invincible to record a marvellously memorable magnificent makeshift Maesteg Quins win.

Next week the Quins entertain current second positioned Bargoed at South Parade.