Fixture

Didn’t we have a lovely time the day we went to Ynysowen? A beautiful day, we stopped at a garage on the way but Lucozade is not too good for your child you know. But it certainly gave everyone a lift as the Crazy Eights put in an impressive shift to record a victory against an improved team from the Merthyr Valley.

With two strong sides on paper the Apples started the game looking to get a good cushion with a hatful of tries and they certainly didn’t disappoint. The small-ish pitch didn’t affect the strong running and there were first period hat-tricks for JJ ‘I’m behind you’ Johnson and Griff ‘Crazy Legs’ Tovey supported by some mazy running from Ollie ‘Marsbar’ Morris with two tries of his own. They though couldn’t have got themselves on the score sheet unless they were supported by some great defensive work by Alfie ‘The Tagging Monster’ Short and Elliot ‘Dancing Shoes’ Hall. Ynysowen didn’t let their heads go down in the first period and managed to stay in the game with five well-worked tries of their own to end the first segment at 9 – 5 to the Dale.

With the bar set high the Bananas had their work cut out to match the impressive performance of the Apples but after tightening their tag belts and making sure their hair was looking good they set off from the first whistle looking for tries and tags. The platform was set by Shay ‘Eye of the Tiger’ Edwards side-stepping his way up the field beating defenders and ably supported by Amie ‘Out of my Way’ Locke running straight lines and eating up the yards. It was only a matter of seconds before that score board ticked over and it was Brodie ‘Hey Blondie’ Baker getting in there first. With his silky running shoes on he danced and danced his way through the home side’s defence to score not one, not two but three tries in the ten minute segment. He was supported well by tries from Max ‘Max! Stop!’ Baldwin and Josh ‘Beast Mode’ Bowen. No matter how hard the Dale tried they just could shake off a determined Ynysowen side who took four tries for their own tally and after two periods of ten minutes Oakdale stood in the lead with a 14 – 9 scoreline.

The Ynysowen coaches were happy to play on to give everyone good game time and it was decided to play two more periods of seven minutes. The Apples returned to the field and set Hannah ‘Boom Boom’ Benger off with the ball in her hands looking for a try of her own. Benger got very close to the try line but was tagged just short although in a heartbeat she tuned, passed to JJ and within the first 20 seconds of the period the Dale got themselves going. It seemed that everyone wanted to run hard as Olly ‘The Bish’ Bishop and Poppy ‘Pink Socks’ Crewe both showed good turns of speed to break the defensive line and open up the field for more tries. JJ got another of his own but it was Olly ‘Prince of Waun Goch’ Morris who shone brightly finally understanding that he needed to start side-stepping and his mazy running bagged him a hat-trick to make it five tries for him for the day. It really was an impressive seven minutes as it was a try a minute but the scoreline for the period was 5-2 to the Apples.

For a group of young people you might have thought that tiredness would have started to creep in but the Bananas were having none of it and were eager to get themselves back onto the pitch. Some great attacking lines saw the ball fall into Albie ‘Attack Attack’ Wynn’s hands and he had the speed to stay ahead of the chasing defenders and get himself his first try of the day. Arriving late did not stop Harri ‘Enrique Inglesais’ Williams showing everyone those swivel hips, dancing like a madman through the flailing arms to get himself another try to add to his season’s tally. Running back, he tried to wink to his Mam but unfortunately due to his swollen face he couldn’t manage it. Ynysowen were really trying hard to make a game of it and they could have taken the last period but not for Josh ‘Beast Mode’ Bowen who crashed over for the Dale’ third try to draw the final act at 3- 3.

It really was a pleasing morning with everyone showing a desire to play well for themselves and the team and the Player of the Match award was a difficult decision. But rugby is a team game and although we have strong runners throughout the side everyone needs to support the player with the ball in his hands so momentum is maintained when going forward. No-one epitomised that on the morning more that JJ ‘Look Mum!' Johnson who took the trophy for always being there at the right time. Well done JJ!!!!!