Don't forget the chips

Dunvant came into this match on the back of a good couple of wins, but were to face their toughest challenge of the season against a team who had put 40 on us earlier in the season. We are becoming a team who are very loose in training but tighten up on the pitch when we put the red and green on, as long as the results keep coming I'm sure we can live with that but know if we are more composed in training then wins will become even more often.
The game started with an early try by Bont which was crafted from a lovely chip over our defence which pressed throughout the game, the chip was caught by their centre who showed a smart set of wheels but was forced into the corner. This was quickly followed by a fantastic break by Antonio who sliced through the centre to make a 60 yard break that unfortunately left his support behind.
Within 2 minutes Bont reciprocated with a break of their own that saw their other centre canter 60m himself to score by the posts, our press defence was slightly too loose, however that was the last time we were cut through the backs as we tightened our defence up with a new partnership of Antonio and Rhys starting to make their own problems by shutting down the Bont backs. However the game was essentially won by Dunvants fringe defence as the entire pack hunted as the ultimate wolf pack, Bont started to ignore their packs and tried the power route often getting isolated and turned over. Our back row of Todd, Aaron and Dan were dynamic in both defence and attack, and with our front five carrying and making the hard yards our ruck game developed. We kept pressing and blew a couple of short range chances, but one such chance led to a Bont yellow card who were being lulled into a game where discipline would ultimately be the key to winning. Following several rucks Ben Ley initially stuttered but a gap opening up for him to slide in to the right of the posts, duely converted by Jac who was disappointed to miss a penalty 10 minutes earlier. We pressed again and on the stroke of half time has a penalty on the 10 yard line on the right hand touch, this drifted wide and we turned round 12 5 down. At that time it appeared that there was only going to be one winner.
We kept pressing with numerous penalties being punished by long raking kicks from Jac into the corners, a lineout 5 metre out was delayed slightly by a couple of supporters slowly retreating from the deadball area, this ultimately led to our chance of scoring being squandered as the delay led to a slightly off lineout throw due to a slight lack of concentration, though throughout our lineout was again imperious and our driving line a force. A couple of penalties saw us retreating from the strong position, and one such penalty was marched back 20 metres for us to end up conceding a kickable penalty that saw us slip to a 15 7 deficit. However we gain pressed and were awarded ourselves ultimately by a penalty that was marched on 10 metres, we were raising the pace and causing them to buckle, Jac kicked the penalty.
Then came a period of play that saw Todd power down the right wing to be caught just outside the 22, a couple of rucks led to the ball coming to the backs with Antonio running a dummy line and Jac kicking a lovely weighted chip deep into the dead ball area, Matthew Richards won the foot race to score, at 15 all Jac had the conversion to get the lead, unfortunately not.
Again we pressed and kept going up the field and with 3 minutes left were awarded a penalty on the 10 yard line in front of the posts, Jac kept his cool to slot over with room to spare.
Bont kept coming but Dunvant were now possessed and when their hooker thought he could bounce Harry he was stopped with efficiency of a sledgehammer, to be followed up by the entire pack who smashed their way forward, a resulting penalty found touch and a well deserved win was earned.
The only disappointment being that so may players had to watch from the touchline, at least we have a game on Saturday to put that right and for all players to show what they are made of