Fixture

Trimsaran welcomed Cefneithin to Caeffair on Saturday for the first league game of the season. Trim completed the double over Cefn last season thanks to 2 narrow wins. The equivalent fixture last season finished 15-9 to Trim.

Cefneithin kicked off the new 2019/2020 season with Trim clearing the ball only for a handling error straight away in the 22 to give Cefneithin some early advantage. From the following scrum Cefn took the ball into contact with their support player flying into the ruck shoulder first straight of his feet. The referee had no choice and give a yellow card to the Cefneithin player. With just 3 minutes on the clock Cefneithin were down to 14 men for the next 10 minutes. Trim cleared their lines but it was Cefneithin who continued to hold the advantage through their big ball carriers and keeping the pressure on Trim. Eventhough they were down to 14 men the visitors controlled possession and territory. An off the ball tip tackle resulted in Trimsaran full back Phil Davies leaving the field injured but the referee went back for a scrum before this. After 20 minutes it was the visitors who took a 3-0 lead through a penalty kick.

Trim hit straight back however as it was Trim who secured the kick off and after some strong ball carrying of their own from the forwards and some good vision from scrum half Ioan Jones which eld to a break and it created an opportunity out wide where an offload back inside seen flanker Emyr Evans crossing for the first try of the game. The conversion out wide was missed and Trim were now leading 5-3 with 25 minutes gone.

Cefneithin were next to score through another penalty kick and took a 6-5 lead. After 30 minutes Cefneithin received a red card for a boot to the head to one of the Trimsaran players after a tackle was completed. This was right in the refs view and he had no choice but to show the card. The visitors were to play the remainder of the game with 14 men.

It was Cefneithin again who pressured next and made a break from their own half and just as it looked like they were going to score in the corner a superb cover tackle from the Trimsaran defence led to a turnover and Trim spreading the ball wide with winger Callum Mccormack making a break along the wing before being tackled and throwing a superb out the back door offload to opposite winger Daniel Morgan for him to score his teams 2^nd try in the corner. The difficult conversion just fell short but Trim were back in the lead.

Trim controlled the remainder of the first half and on the stroke of half time were awarded a penalty just inside their own half and went for a long range kick through centre Rhodri Mason. This fell just below the crossbar and left the half time score 10-6 to the home team.

It was Trim who started the stronger in the second half with fly half Corey Phillips slotting over a early penalty from a strong scrummage from the green and blacks to take the score to 13-6. Trim then made a break out wide and Thomas Bonnell finished off the try after just beating to covering Cefneithin defence. With the conversion missed it was 18-6 with 50 minutes played. Trimsaran were sensing an opportunity for a potential bonus point as a break by scrum half Ioan Jones got them into the Cefneithin 22 only for handling errors to cost them key field position.

The remaining 20 minutes of the game was a bit like déjà vu, Trimsaran received a yellow card for an exact same offence as Cefneithin did in the first half with an off the ball clear out led by the shoulder. This allowed Cefneithin to kick a penalty and take the score to 18-9. Discipline was then costing Trim as continuous penalties led Cefneithin to key areas in the field and in the process of kicking another penalty at the posts, the penalty was missed as it bounced off the post but Cefn got to the ball first and another pen was conceded infront of the sticks and the visiting kicker made no mistakes this time and reduced the deficit to 18-12. Again Trim give a penalty away and were now defending in their territory and again a penalty in the breakdown allowed Cefneithin to kick 3 more points and bring the score to 18-15 with barely 5 minutes of the game remaining.

Trim defence held firm from the kick off and the green and blacks secured a turnover before seeing the clock out to secure an opening day victory.

A feisty local derby to start the season and 4 points for Trim whilst Cefneithin left with a losing bonus point.

Next weekend we travel the short distance to Furnace. Furnace got promoted to Division 3 West B last season, finishing in 2^nd spot. Come and support the boys as we look to get our first win on the road. Kick-off is at 2.30pm on Saturday 14^th September.