Neath V Cardiff
Saturday 21st January 2006, 2.30pm Kick-Off

MATCH REPORT (Al Black)

Photographs by Club Photographer, Julian Brock - CLICK HERE

NEATH 41 CARDIFF 20
It is a measure of Neath’s progress this season – this was the All Blacks 19th win in 20 outings – that coach Rowland Phillips admitted to being “a little disappointed” with this win over Cardiff although his team scored 41 points and never looked like losing.

From the first minute when scrum-half Gareth James went over for a home and League debut try and halfback partner James Hook added the conversion, the Blacks never looked in serious trouble. But there was a distinct sloppiness about their play that would have led to trouble against a more confident side than Cardiff.

After their perfect start, Neath handed over possession too easily and Cardiff opened their account with a try by flanker Wayne Murphy before Hook, on a still day that was made for goalkicking, landed a penalty from 50 metres.

With few Cardiff supporters in the crowd of over 2,500 there was little atmosphere and Neath rarely hit the heights they are capable of. They got their second try when, from a Tom Smith lineout take, prop Paul Jones charged over for Hook to convert and a lack-lustre half was brought to a close with two well-struck Hook penalties.

Leading 23-5, Neath could reasonably have been expected to throw the kitchen sink at Cardiff in the second-half. But it never happened and Cardiff were gifted 8 points from the re-start via an Anderson penalty and then a try by full back Jamie Roberts from a poor kick-off that failed to make the ten metre-mark.

Hook made amends by banging over his fourth penalty and then hooker Andy Littlehales grabbed Neath’s third try that seemed like justice after a mistake by the officials. Hook converted superbly and then hit his fifth penalty of the afternoon before the best try of the match. It was engineered by replacement full back Neil Clapham from his own 22 and finished off by another replacement Gerwyn Price at the other end of the field.

Neath just could not sustain the style though and the game ended with a third try by centre Dafydd Hewitt, converted by replacement Gareth Williams-Davies. Although there was more than a suggestion that Hewitt had knocked the ball on, the concession of a third try gives an indication that Neath’s defensive resolution (always so apparent when the chips are down just was not there) and the All Blacks took it all too easy. It gave the Capital side some consolation for going to the foot of the table and leaves Neath knowing that a massive improvement is needed against Newport next week.

Neath – G.Morris (N.Clapham); S.Thomas, A.Bevan, W.Mitchell, R.Johnston; J.Hook, G.James (M.Roberts); P.Jones (A.Howell), A.Littlehales (G.Price), C.Mitchell; B.Davies, M.Morgan; D.McShane (H.Jenkins), T.Smith (captain), J.Davies (S.Pengelly)
Cardiff – J.Roberts; D.Dewdney, D.Hewitt, J.Hill, E.Jones (N.Gill); C.Anderson, O.Ruttley (captain); R.Gill, K.Jama, D.Fenton (N.Trevett); B.Davies (G.Knight), C.Stamatakis; M.Lewis, J.Malpas, W.Murphy (N.Hampson)
Referee – Mr. Gary Davies (Penygraig)