Emphatic but not straightforward  - 27/04/2010 - CAERPHILLY

SWALEC ONE EAST
CAERPHILLY 15 LLANHARAN 40 (HT 3-21)
Looking for their eleventh consecutive win to close the gap on UWIC at the top of Swalec One East, Llanharan found this a far from straight forward achievement despite the emphatic score line and another try bonus point.
This was in no small measure because of a highly motivated Caerphilly display, coach Phil Ager determined to have his team give a good account of themselves against his former club, whilst the presence of a number of ex Castleman in the visitors’ ranks would also have motivated the home XV.
However, huge though their effort was and despite breaking through the Llanharan ranks far too often for the liking of the travelling supporters, in the end they lacked comparable quality at individual level, an advantage that often allowed Gareth Edwards’ men to strike with big effect.
It had looked as though a huge score was on the cards as the Dairymen started off in breathtaking manner, Dai Atkins scoring for the sixth time in seven games and Codey Rees converting, but errors began to creep into their high paced game and before the end they twice also found themselves down to thirteen men through indiscipline.
Even so, scores came regularly, James Connors and Bill Carey putting Rees over for another converted touch down and then Aarron Pinches completing a nice double act with his left wing Paul Adams, Rees once more adding the extras.
The one man in the Castlemen’ ranks who seemed to pose a particular problem was Mathew Hurley. He had put over a first half penalty and twice found the gaps after the restart to have home fans wondering whether a major upset was on the cards.
Although Elliott Foils had dived over when Caerphilly were down to fourteen after a yellow card, the number ten got over the line twice and with a conversion had his side 26-15 behind and looking very much in the game.
However, despite yellow cards for Atkins, Foils and Lee Davies and red card after a late tackle for Pinches, quicksilver scrum half Glen Holloway emphasised the basic difference between the two opponents when he quickly ran a penalty from his own twenty two allowing Adams the satisfaction of scoring a twelfth try of the season against his old club.
Despite the two yellow cards operative at the time, depleted Llanharan had defended stoutly and this was the killer punch, Rees putting them 33-15 in the lead, victory made even more clear cut when the back to full strength second placed side put together some of the best attacking play of the night to see Foils go over and Rees, another former home star, convert for his 234th point of the year.
Wales under 18 cap Harley Thomson made his first start and again impressed while Nathan Huish safely negotiated the final fifteen minutes to confirm his recovery from injury.
Llanharan: H.Thomson, (D.Thomas 59), E.Foils, D.Atkins, A.Pinches, P.Adams, C.Rees (W.Jervis 75), G.Holloway, E.Rees (J.Greenfield 38), A.Griffin (N.Huish 70), A.Richards , G.Edwards (Capt.) J.Connors, L.Davies, N.Lewis (A.Llewellyn 45), B.Carey.
Llanharan tries –E.Foils 2, D.Atkins, P.Adams, A.Pinches, C.Rees..
Cons 5 – C.Rees.
Caerphilly scores: Mathew Hurley – 2 tries, con, pen.

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