In a hard fought battle where the lead was swapped throughout the game, Neath Port Talbot College narrowly missed out on their first win of the season
With NPTC still looking for their first win of the season theyhosted Newport High School at Llandarcy in what turned out to be a very tight and exciting game between two evenly matched sides.
Both sides went all out from the first whistle but their own errors cost them dearly all match. NHS had a chance for the first try just a few minutes into the game but failed to use their overlap for an almost guaranteed score while NPTC knocked on their own early attempt.
With almost 20 minutes on the clock, NPTC took advantage of their visitors being penalised to kick to touch for a line out on the 5m line. From there they pushed over the try line and Charlie Davies dropped down for the first try of the game. Sam Evans' conversion attempt just missing the mark.
Buoyed by their try NPTC controlled the next few minutes of the match but their own errors continued to cost them as they knocked on twice and were penalised within feet of the try line for holding on. Newport High School defended hard but they couldn't hold out Ben Atkins' break and he raced over for NPTC's second try. Evans conversion attempt going wide again.
The home side again seemed to be boosted by their try but another knock on spoilt another attempt to storm their opponents try line allowing Newport High School to get their foot in the game. A quick take and run up the wing caught NPTC short and they struggled to get back to protect their line and were penalised. The visitors took advantage and after a line out close to the try line they quickly got the ball across field to put the ball down between the posts. The successful conversion narrowing the gap between the teams to just 4 points.
HT: Neath Port Talbot College 12 - 8 Newport High School
Newport High School started the second half the way they had ended the first. They tested the NPTC defence and while Neath Port Talbot held them out momentarily, Tom Bradley made a gap to burst through and they used an overlap on the wing to score their second try of the afternoon. While there was no conversion, NHS had taken the lead for the first time.
However the visitors couldn't hold on to the lead for long. NPTC's teamwork and handling improved and again they used the line out well to allow Keiron Griffiths to slip over to score. Evans' kicking not on top form as the conversion went wide for a third time.
When Reuben Williams made a huge break down the wing and ran half the length of the pitch unstopped it looked like NPTC would extend their lead. Unfortunately for the home side, NHS's defence got back just in time and Neath Port Talbot were penalised for holding on. More chances followed for NPTC but despite the visitors going down to 14 men through a yellow card they couldn't find the required gap to slip through and handling errors began to creep back into their game stopping a few scoring opportunities.
Newport High School started to improve in attack towards the end of the game but they too were having difficulties in reaching the try line, often as a result of not backing themselves when faced with the Neath Port Talbot defence. However when NPTC were penalised for another knock on it gave the visitors a 5m scrum. Despite some good work from the home side NHS eventually broke through the wall and powered over to retake the lead and the win.
FT: Neath Port Talbot College 18 - 22 Newport High School