The Principality Stadium in 2 weeks time awaits us, when we play Porthcawl RFC in the final of the WRU Admiral Division 2 Cup.
Today's Semi Final against Penarth was a hard fought match, with our opponents starting the game with a very strong wind at their backs. Llanharan opened the scoring when Scott Jones kicked an early penalty. The wind was very difficult to kick against but Scott Jones's kicking in to it was superb. Scott kicked another penalty and after missing a couple of kicks, Penarth replied with one of their own, makinthe score 6-3 to Llanharan. However the Penarth kicker found his range to make the 9-6 to Penarth. Just before half time, captain Scott Jones made a bold decision to go for the corner instead of going for the posts. His decision paid off with bustling second row Joe Buckle scoring from the resulting maul. Scott Jones added the conversion to make the half time score Llanharan 13 Penarth 9.
Llanharan started the second half with the wind at their backs. Penarth made a poor starting losing a man to a yellow card.Llanharan then had a brilliant rolling maul which must have covered about 40 yards, before Penarth pulled it down in desperation near the line. He was given a yellow card, which many thought shoud have been a red. Llanharan were now moving the ball well and looking dangerous, when eventually livewire hooker Jack Walker went over after some fluent play by Llanharan. Scott Jones converted again. The wind decided to drop at this stage and no longer became a factor in the game. Llanharan could have scored another try, when Joe Buckle was adjudged to have knocked the ball on near the line. Then Scott Jones was clear but fumbled the ball as he was running. Penarth hit back with some dangerous attacks of their own but you have to say that Llanharan defence never gave an inch, with the back row of Ieuan Pring, Lloyd Gregory and Jack Thomson tackling their opponents like demons. Llanharan then had both scrum halves, Leon Burton and Ross Pritchard yellow carded. Mitch Jones stepped in admirably to cover the scrum half position. Scott Jones sealed the match with a penalty, to make the score 23-9 to Llanharan.
Penarth fought hard all game and were worthy opponents but they couldn't match the determination of the Llanharan players. Porthcawl beat Aberavon Quins in the other Semi, winning 24-14, so we now look forward to meeting them in the Final on April 6th.
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