Fixture

Welshpool were the visitors to Pant Carw on Saturday. They sat at the top of North Wales Division 2 having won all six of their league games, amassing over 200 points and having conceded the least. A formidable task for the home team, which was not made any easier with having two players go off injured in the first twenty minutes and then being down to 14 players for ten minutes in the second half.

Despite these set-backs, it was the Teirw who lead from the tenth minute to the end, Welshpool only making the score as close as it was with the last move of the game.

Welshpool arrived with a game plan of using their big forwards, and backs, to run straight and set up ruck after ruck. Teirw absorbed this pressure often forcing the visitors into handling errors. On occasions the defence were penalised and Welshpool should have taken an early lead only to see a kickable penalty hit the post. Teirw played a different game. Whenever they got clean possession they made use of their speed to attack the opposition. The kicking and follow up chasing was also impressive, forcing the big opposition forwards to constantly have to turn and cover back.

Teirw's first try came after ten minutes. A kick and chase by No. 8 Vaughan saw him win back the ball near the Welshpool 5 metre line. The ball was moved quickly to the left for Will Richardson to go over. His conversion put the home side 7 points up.

Much of the next 20 minutes saw a similar pattern to the earlier exchanges, Welshpool playing a rucking game, Teirw braking at speed or kicking for territory.

The second try came on 30 minutes. Teirw stole a lineout in the Welshpool twenty two. The ball was moved quickly to the right wing and full-back Afon Jones took the inside pass to score, putting Teirw 12 points to nil ahead.

On the stroke of half-time, the lead was increased with a try by winger, Roberts. Having been under pressure on their own line, Teirw then broke and the kick up field put the visitors on the defence in their own twenty two. A clearence kick to touch saw the quick throw-in and the ball was transferred to Roberts who was able to touch down as he was tackled near the flag. The linesman was able to show the referee the print indicating there was no foot in touch and the try was awarded. The conversion gave Teirw a 19 - 0 lead.

The second half saw each side sticking to the same tactics, though Welshpool's began to show results. On 46 minutes. a scrum on Teirw's five metre line saw Welshpool go through several ruck phases before crashing over between the posts. The conversion gave a scoreline od 19 - 7.

Within 5 minutes Teirw restored their some of their lead through a Will Richardson penalty. 

From the restart the ball was knocked on by Teirw. Welshpool won the scrum but this time, instead off driving through the forwards, the ball was passed to the centre who went through, unopposed, from 30 metres out. The conversion brough the score to 22 - 14.

With 20 minutes to go Welshpool made it a one point difference when, following a lineout on Teirw's 22, a driving maul and several rucks set up the try which was converted.

Within 10 minutes pressure by the home side resulted in a dropped pass in the Welshpool 22. A free kick was awarded at the scrum, which was quickly taken. The ball was moved first left and the right for Derwyn Williams to crash over from a ruck close to the line, thus securing the try bonus point . Richardson's conversion made it a two score lead. 

Welshpool strived to get something from the game and in the last move of the match achieved in gainingnboth a losing and a try bonus point. A quickly taken penalty saw the ball passed between the forwards and a touch down near the posts. The conversion made the final score 29 - 28.