Swansea v Caerphilly (Celtic League)

Half-time: Caerphilly 15 - Swansea 13
Celtic league fixture played away at St. Helens on Saturday 28th September 2002
Attendance 2,000
Referee: Phil Fear (Llanharan) Touch Judges: Huw David, Huw Griffith, Hopkin Thomas

Cheesemen startle All-Whites

Once again, the Castletown men put together another gritty performance, almost turning over the mighty whites of Swansea at St.Helens last week-end in the Celtic League. Caerphilly can take away many positives from a spirited display in front of the 2,000 crowd. Improvement in the part-timers is showing through, week by week. They are looking more gelled together and are set to take scalps with the Welsh league starting late October.

 

"We gave up the flare to be more competitive and follow a set game plan," said Caerphilly head coach, Mark Ring. "Our line-out and scrum problems are now sorted, but this week we were slow to clean-out ruck ball and will need to work on this." Caerphilly outside-half, Luke Richards got his first of 22 points on the board with a penalty after only 3 minutes of play.

Caerphilly centre, Ryan Howells playing in his true position for the first time since signing for the Castletown club. He came only meters from scoring in the early stages, shrugging off defenders but tackled short of the Swansea try-line. Two penalties for Swansea outside-half, Arwel Thomas at 14 and 20 minutes.

 

Swansea winger, Johnny Vaughton created space for scrum-half, Sam Cordingley to score from a break down the right wing, duly converted by Thomas. Swansea Number 8, Jonathon Thomas yellow carded for persistent off-side gave Caerphilly's Richards an easy 3 pointer to reduce the deficit.

Caerphilly capitalised with Swansea down to 14 men, and Richards booted 3 more penalties and a lead of 15 - 13 for the visitors at the interval. An early try by Swansea winger, Shaun Payne after the break, created by Arwel Thomas who duly converted the try.

 

Swansea, once again reduced to 14 men with prop, Darren Morris sin-binned, and a 3 point penalty from the boot of Luke Richards. Swansea increased their lead with 2 more tries. The first from Arwel Thomas and a second try for Shaun Payne. Both tries converted by Thomas for a lead of 34 - 18.

Caerphilly launched a dramatic come-back with winger, Geraint Lewis sprinting in from almost the full length of the field and scrum-half, Allen Chilten dived under the posts, set up by flanker, Joe El Abd. Both tries converted by Richards to close the gap with Swansea leading by just 2 points. An injury time penalty from Swansea fly-half, Arwel Thomas put the game out of reach for the battling Castletown men.

 

A very disappointed Swansea coach, John Connoly said "If we play like that against Montferrand or Leinster, we will get beaten convincingly." "A lot of credit to Caerphilly, they kept trying and put us under great pressure."
Caerphilly were fortunate to pick up another Celtic league point at St.Helens on Saturday, finishing within 7 points of the Swansea final score.

Match report by Phil Whitfield, photographs by Mark Tamplin