Croesyceiliog 12 Newport Saracens 34
16 March 2006
Croesy slipped to a disappointing defeat against the league leaders after looking the better side for the first 20 minutes. The Cockerels certainly started as though they meant business and established an early territorial advantage through a good forward platform. The forwards got an excellent rolling maul going which took play from the 22 to just short of the try line before the visitors conceded a penalty for collapsing it. Matthew Entwistle slotted over the penalty. Further forward pressure, this time on the Sarries scrum, forced a second penalty for Entwislte as their scrum-half was caught and hung on to the ball.
The Sarries first meaningful attack came in the 22 minute and unfortunately it led to a try from a driving maul. A second try followed shortly after as the ball broke down in Croesy's midfield and the visitors capitalised. This gave the Sarries the lead on half hour which they never looked like relinquishing despite a 3rd Entwislte penalty before half-time. Sarries could have increased their lead before the break but for a try- saving tackle by full-back David Davies.
The second half was pretty much one way traffic as Sarries piled on the pressure and added a further 4 tries to 1 Entwistle penalty. The Croesy cause was not helped by the loss of hooker Anthony Axford, as well as replacement Jamie Edwards played. Edwards, a new signing did well in the loose but needs time to work with his lineout forwards as that part of the Croesy game struggled badly. There were further blows for Croesy as scrum-half Nathan Powell was dismissed, apparently for dissent and then Paul Hicks limped off with what was later diagnosed as a broken leg.
There was plenty of commitment from the players but everyone needs to pull together over the remaining games to keep Croesy above the relegation zone.
The next game is at home to Bargoed on Saturday, 25th March.