Cross Keys V Neath
Saturday 11th February 2006

MATCH REPORT (Al Black)

Photos by Club Photographer, Julian Brock - Click Here

CROSS KEYS 15 NEATH 36
Neath showed all their old power to earn victory in the mud at Cross Keys where many fancied sides have tripped up in recent years.

Cross Keys’ decision to conduct their warm-up on the wettest lower part of the ground meant that Pandy Park was in a very poor state for Premiership rugby but Neath, playing uphill, made a bright start and scrum-half Gareth James was robbed of an early try by a desperate ankle-tap. Neath again went close before Keys, well led by bullish captain Gareth Turner, took advantage of Neath defensive sloppiness for Wales Under-19’s wing Marcus Johnstone to claim the opening try.

Neath were soon level when a charge by prop Paul Jones set up the position from which full back Siua Taumalolo scored. The Blacks were making most of the running on the treacherous surface with flanker John McPhail, prop Craig Mitchell and captain Steve Martin in the thick of the action. Keys were finding Hywel Jenkins difficult to contain and, when the powerful No.8 gathered a Keys drop-out, impressive scrum-half James was on hand to wrong-foot the full back and score at the posts for Arwel Thomas to convert and give the Blacks a 12-5 halftime advantage.

The All Blacks hit Keys early from the restart to put the result beyond doubt. The Neath scrum had Keys retreating and Taumalolo surged over for his second score, then a brilliantly-placed kick by Arwel Thomas led to Keys conceding another scrum and Hywel Jenkins forced his way over for the outside-half to convert splendidly out of the mud.

To their credit, Keys hit back with a try at the corner flag by Darren Miles who promptly fell over in attempting the conversion. Neath lost the outstanding McPhail with a rib injury but his replacement Simon Pengelly immediately won lineout ball and Paul Jones charged away 20 metres for Neath’s fifth try that Thomas again converted. The Blacks ought to have added more than one further try to their tally but lost the ball at crucial times. Eventually, sound approach work by replacement Steve Thomas led to hooker Gerwyn Price slinging out a long miss pass to winger Gareth Morris who slithered in for their sixth before Miles got Keys’ third with more than a hint of a forward pass. Coach Rowland Phillips was well pleased with the win as Neath, playing with purpose and direction, won at an awkward venue in alien conditions.

Neath – S.Taumalolo; G.Morris, A.Bevan (N.Clapham), W.Mitchell, J.Spratt; A.Thomas (S.Thomas), G.James (P.Horgan); P.Jones (A.Howell), G.Price (A.Littlehales), C.Mitchell; S.Martin (captain), M.Morgan; D.McShane (B.Davies), H.Jenkins, J.McPhail (S.Pengelly)

Cross Keys – D.Miles; M.McKee (J.Thomas), G.Turner (captain), D.Dark, M.Johnstone; S.Mitchell, G.Betts (R.James); I.George, R.Draper (G.Horrigan), C.Gould (R.Cornock); M.Curtis (W.Sims), W.Thomas; R.Peebles, R.Williams, T.Lampard
Referee – Mr. N.Owens (Pontyberem)