Year 8 advance to the semi-final.
Penyrheol: 7 Gowerton year 8: 44
Fly half and captain Tom Ham attacks the Penyrheol defence.
Dudley-Jones and Brown grab hat-tricks as Gowerton progress to the last 4.
The year 8 rugby team travelled to Penyrheol to play their Swansea schools’ cup quarter-final in good heart following their victory over Gwyr in the previous round. They realised that they faced a tough challenge with the hosts having defeated Bishop Vaughan to reach the last eight.
The visitors were quickly into their stride and No.8 Lloyd Dudley-Jones scored in the first minute when a powerful run took him across for a try that was converted by captain and fly half Tom Ham.
Wing Omar Mustafa is surrounded by Penyrheol defenders.
Gowerton increased their lead when centre Ewan Brown strode over and with Ham again converting the visitors seemed as if their progress to the next round would be unhindered. Nothing could have been further from the truth and with the hosts’ captain, prop Liam Kissick leading from the front; they pressed for the score that would get them back into the game. The fact that Gowerton’s line was not crossed was due only to some excellent defensive work from hooker Ben Brown, lock Callum Batcup and wing Omar Mustafa.
Samer Makahleh commits the defender and puts Kevin Cheung clear.
With their defensive effort having given the visitors confidence, skipper Ham tapped a penalty quickly and put centre Josh O’Connor clear and his well timed pass allowed centre Brown to cross for his second try. With the hosts’ confidence dented, Brown completed his hat-trick and Dudley-Jones scored his second try which meant that Gowerton’s lead was 29-0 at the break.
Centre Josh O’Connor whose well timed pass allowed Ewan Brown to score.
Now was the time that the hosts’ needed to show their resilience and with captain Kissick continuing to work tirelessly, they deservedly got a score when a well worked move allowed No.8 Ryan Humphries-Thomas to cross for a converted try. The visitors were not going to be denied though and they added three further tries before the final whistle. The first came after excellent running by flanker Cory Jenkins allowed wing Kevin Cheung to cross. Dudley-Jones then completed his hat-trick after good approach work from Ham and then centre Rhys Brown completed the scoring after slick passing from the visitors’ three quarters gave him the room to cross.
At the final whistle, the score line did little justice to the efforts of the home team who had fought bravely throughout and they could be optimistic about their future prospects.
Cory Jenkins powers into the heart of the Penyrheol defence.
Gowerton now travel to play the winners of Morriston and Pontarddulais.
Captain Tom Ham, who kicked two conversions, clears to touch.
