Fixture

Another Saturday when the squad was sorely tested with lots of players unavailable due to work and family commitments and a couple of injuries and an early kick off. But we got to Ogmore Vale in good time with just 15 players plus Team Manager Greg Morris. We had heard on the grapevine that Ogmore were struggling a bit with numbers this season so we thought it would be a good test of squads. Ogmore had bulked up with a number of permit players and it was these imports that on the day proved the difference between the 2 sides.

We started down the slope first half straight onto the attack and won an early penalty that Dean slotted over but then Ogmore hit back when their pacy full back took a deep clearance from Dean and cut us to ribbons. The defence scrambled brilliantly and stopped the attack deep in our red zone but the recycled several times for another ruddy import to score  a try that was converted for 7 points. The rest of the half belonged to us with the exception of some really good running from deep by the Ogmore back 3 that threatened but never led to a score. We lost the versatile Andrew Holloway when he over extended his knee and this brought Greg onto the field rather earlier than he was hoping.

Duane really got the pack working hard in the 25 minutes up to half time and strong running from Josh Richards and Joss Pope caused Ogmore all sorts of problems. They conceded penalties and Dean Hawkes converted 2 crackers to put us in front 9 - 7. Just on half time we then scored the try of the match Dean, Paul, Jonny then Greg and Dylan all combined to drive deep into the left corner and Duane, James and Darren recycled to put Josh Richards in for a fine try that Dean converted and we led 16-7 at half time.

Things changed slowly but surely after the break. Ogmore used the slope and the breeze to keep us pinned down in the bottom right corner and we struggled to break the strangle hold. We tackled and tackled. Jonny Dean and Paul worked miracles in midfield and Cameron seemed to be everywhere and Dylan made a series of hits out wide that saved at least 2 scores. But we could not stop everything. First a short range pen made it 16 - 10. Then a try at the posts with conversion made it 16 - 17.Another try and 2 penalties followed for 16 - 25.We tried gamely and our best effort saw Jonny break 2 tackles and carry strongly to send Dylan flying down the wing but he did not have enough space and the cover just caught him.

The last five minutes of the game were taken up bya series of scrums that were set and reset before the referee was satisfied that everybody was Knackered and he blew for no side. We were certainly tired. Every player had given his all and tried his best - what more can a coach ask of his team. Mark did not make a Man of the Match award. He said everyone deserved it. Spot on. But we all had a quiet moan at Seven Sisters for not playing Maesteg