Fixture

Caerphilly RFC | 1st Team 36 - 22 Oakdale RFC | 1st Team
Gavin Rhys Bilton
Try 1
Matthew James Hurley
Conversion 2
Penalty 4
Try 2
William Andrew Worthington
Try 1
Luke Yates
2 Try
Chris Davies
1 Conversion
1 Try
Jordan Hughes
1 Try

Match Report
24 October 2016 / Team News

Ton Up Hurley Sinks Oakdale

Caerphilly completed their 4th straight league victory in a row, cementing 3rd place in the league by inflicting a first defeat on Oakdale 36-22 at The Constructaquote Stadium last weekend.  In the process, man of the match, outside half Matthew Hurley, completed a club record by scoring 26 points and topping 100 points for the season within the first 5 games as he went over for 2 try’s, added 2 conversions and 4 penalties.

It took just 5 minutes for Hurley to put the home side ahead kicking a penalty. Breaking out of defence from the kick off, Caerphilly moved down the right with the centres, left wing Josh Ramsey popping up on the right, before moving back left. Winning a penalty as the defence found themselves offside.

Having made several attempts to break the deadlock right wing Will Worthington added a try on 20 minutes, as Caerphilly again broke from deep, second row Gavin Bilton and flankers Chriss Moss and  Will Oliver combining well to take play into the Oakdale half before the latter produced a pass as he tumbled from a tackle to No.8 and captain Bob England. Spinning recycled ball right, Worthington found space on the right to pass through 3 tackles and over the line in the corner. Hurley added the difficult conversion for a 10-0 lead.

A series of penalties took the visitors within spitting distance of the line but some dogged defence kept them at bay as the penalty count against the home side reached 10-2 on the cusp of half time. Minutes from the whistle, with Caerphilly attacking again, the ball was moved into the centre. Finding himself with defenders in his face, flanker Moss attempted a pass over the top but managed to place the ball clean into the anticipating arms of Oakdale full back Luke Yates who ran in unopposed from the half way line to reduce the half time deficit, outside half Chris Davies managing to hit the upright in front of the posts and miss the 2 points.

Davies missed another penalty early in the second half but as the side broke from their own 22 he kicked ahead and chased hard as he noticed the defence up flat, winning the race to the line to draw the scores level, failing to add the conversion.

A yellow card for one of the Oakdale centres, tackling high on 47 minutes proved crucial as the home side won a series of 3 penalties in those 10 minutes, hurley slotting between the posts to provide a 9 point cushion. With both sides making significant changes it was the visitors that made the next move.

Following a series of penalties on 58 minutes, Oakdale found themselves in the 5mtr zone, and second row Ian Ellis crossed with Davies adding the conversion to reduce to deficit to 2 points, with 20 minutes remaining.

3 minutes later and Caerphilly moved out of defence and upfield with Bilton and England combining again, winning a scrum within site of the posts. Breaking from the scrum the home side lost possession but forced the visitors into a hurried kick which fell within striking distance of the line.  Taking the ball from the top, Bilton entered teh ruck and eventually emerged to cross the line and a 7 point lead.

Caerphilly played well to earn themselves ground on 70 minutes, putting pressure on the visitors, eventually winning a 5mtr scrum. However taking the ball against the head, the visitors passed to  speedy Yates, who ran around the Caerphilly defenders travelling the length of the field down the left to score a great try in the corner, setting up a tense final 10.

Hurley found a gap following a break from centre Matthew Nuthall on 72, to cross for a try, despite prop Kieron Thomas coming close, before adding his second on 80 minutes as he found a gap in the defence to score his brace following a Matthew Nutthall break in the centre, adding the 2 points to leave the side a bonus point victory.

The second team travelled to Abercwmboi where they completed a well earned 32-10 victory, whilst the Youth team were just pipped at the post against unbeaten Rumney by 20-13 in the second round of the Welsh Cup. Tries by Jacob McCarthy and Lewys Willacot with a penalty from Liam Waters making up the points.

Next week sees Caerphilly welcome Markham to the Constructaquote Stadium in the 3rd round of the Swalec Bowl, whilst the 2ndXV play Senghenydd in what should be a mouth watering tie. The Youth team play against Abergavenny.

Players
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