Lion's share of attacking, but Ystrad take the spoils  - 08/05/2010 - YSTRAD RHONDDA

SWALEC ONE EAST
YSTRAD RHGONDDA 30 LLANHARAN 25 (HT 24-15)
Desperate to escaper relegation to division two, Ystrad pulled off a late season shock with this bonus point win against second place Llanharan.
Only the news that fellow strugglers had pulled off an improbable win at third lace Bargoed temped their celebrations and the respective destinies of the two clubs will go down to this week’s final round of matches.
Llanharan themselves took tow bonus points from the game and will need to beat Rumney in this Wednesday’s game to ensure a worthy second spot in the final table.
The Dairymen started like an express train with two tries on the board in the first four minutes.
Hooker Nathan Huish was held up but scrum half Glen Holloway finished off, Codey Rees converting, and it quickly became 12-0 as Elliott Foils made a strong run up the left touchline to send Paul Adams over in the corner.
The set back brought out the character in the home team and they were on terms within five minutes, Neil Walker driving over and then Daniel John scoring from a scrum, Dylan Jones converting.
The game’s fifth try was on the board in the 14th minute as Shaun Robson rounded off a wide attack to give Ystrad the lead.
Llanharan were persisting with an expansive approach instead of consolidating and their throw it about policy came unstuck as John intercepted to run eighty metres for a try, Jones’s kick giving the Rhondda team a surprise 24-12 lead.
Yet it was the Dairymen who were doing the lion’s share of attacking , but it was an afternoon when things just continued to go wrong for them and although Rees made it 250 for the season with a penalty, it took a good tackle by replacement Harley Thomson to stop ex Llanharan full back Geraint Shalton from scoring.
An early yellow card for prop James Greenfield wasn’t quite what the away team wanted after the turn around, but they still managed to take the game to the opposition 22, Aled Llewellyn just failing to break though before Adams restored himself as top try score with 14 to his credit.
However two penalties from Alex Webber gave Ystrad a 30-20 lead as they enjoyed their best spell of the match, but it was Llanharan who ended the game in all-out offensive mode, an Ystrad yellow card helping their cause.
They opted for a scrum for a penalty under the posts and Foils scored his fifth try in three games to restore hope and claim a try bonus.
Yet little would go right in a frenzied final ten minutes, uncharacteristic knock ons , a scrum push back and a desperate corner flag tackle on Adams denying Dennis John’s men the victory over the side coached by Mike Griffiths, his old prodigy whilst in charge at Pontypridd.
Llanharan, E.Foils L.Thorne (H.Thomson 26), D.Atkins A.Pinches, P.Adams, C.Rees G.Holloway, J.Greenfield (N.Kibble blood rep 41), N.Huish, A.Richards, G.Edwards (Capt.) J.Connors (B.Carey 60), L.Davies, A.Llewellyn, J.Jones.
Llanharan tries – P.Adams 2, G.Holloway, E.Foils. Con and pens – C.Rees.
Ystrad tries – Daniel John 2, Shaun Robson, Neil Walker. Cons 2 – Dylan Jones. Pens 2 – Alex Webber

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