Welsh Cup blow for year 11.
Gwyr year 11: 15 Gowerton: 12.
Gowerton’s hopes dashed by last gasp Gwyr try.
Fly half Mathew Protheroe looks to release his backs.
Neighbours Gwyr and Gowerton played each other in a Welsh Schools’ year 11 cup game at the Elba. The game kicked off in excellent conditions for open running rugby.
Gwyr were on the front foot early and took the lead in the 12th minute when elusive full back Tom Neal got outside his opposite number on half way and sprinted to cross in the corner. Fly half James Davies increased the lead in the 17th minute when he kicked a penalty from 30 metres.
Gowerton had started slowly, but with props James Tanner and Richard Keefe working hard defensively, they gradually began to exert pressure and they responded with a try of their own, in the 23rd minute. No.8 and man of the match Morgan Morris picked up from the base of a scrum 20 metres out, he breached the defence and when he was halted just short of the line, dynamic flanker Will Jones was on hand to pick up and drive over for a try fly half Mathew Protheroe converted.
No.8 and man of the match Morgan Morris looks to offload the ball.
At the half time whistle, Gwyr’s lead was a slender 8-7 and it was Gowerton who came out for the second half on the front foot and with hooker Marcus Besley and lock Jack Petherbridge combining well in the lineouts, Gowerton began to dominate in this area. Gwyr struggled to halt Gowerton’s driving lineout legally and with 10 minutes to go they had a player sin binned for again deliberately collapsing a driving maul. The man advantage told and in the 55th minute Gowerton deservedly took the lead, when No.8 Morris was tackled just short of the line and scrum half Jonny Lloyd was on hand to touch down.
Gwyr struggled to cope with Gowerton’s driving lineouts.
Gwyr struggled to cope with Gowerton’s driving lineouts.
Gwyr were not to be denied and with two minutes left on the watch flanker Alex Gibby drove over close to the posts for a try that fly half Davies converted to regain his side the lead.
There was still time for Gowerton to mount one last attack and when centre Leighton Lamb sliced through the defence, it looked like Gowerton might grab the lead again, but his pass was intercepted 10 metres out and cleared to touch. The final whistle followed and Gwyr had grabbed a tense victory.
Jack Petherbridge dominated the lineouts thanks to Marcus Besley’s accurate throwing and Steffan Gibbon and Richard Keefe’s excellent lifting.
Year 11 coach Mr Watts was impressed with the team’s defence.
