Mixed fortunes for Ospreylian colleges as Neath Port Talbot manage to secure a draw but Bridgend lose to competition leaders
Neath Port Talbot College and Coleg Llandrillo played a hard fought and challenging game in the wind and rain of Llandarcy yesterday. Despite both teams' best efforts they were too equal in their play and held each other at a 7 -7 draw.
From the offset both teams showed their intentions with some fast play. However after eight minutes it was a great break from NPTC's Hooker Luke Davies, avoiding several Llandrillo tackles, who crossed the line and got the first points of the game. Dylan Francis converted his efforts and with nine minutes played the score stood 7 - 0 to the home team.
Handling errors spoilt many offensive manoeuvres for both sides throughout the game. Forward passes and knock ons continually stopped both the home and away side from progressing upfield and scoring tries.
In the last passages of play before half time, Coleg Llandrillo had their best opportunity to equalise. Powerful defence from them forced an advancing NPTC side into making several handling errors. Then a superb interception followed by some beautiful passes gave the visitors a chance to make their way deep into the NPTC half. However an error in the scrum cost them and when their kick couldn't find touch they ran out of time to even things up. The first half ended Neath Port Talbot College 7 - 0 Coleg Llandrillo.
NPTC started impressively, they collected their starting kick and straight away chased for the line. Joe Gage made a great break but couldn't quite make it across. His pass made it to David Davies, but as he received it the ball was knocked forward.
Instead it was Llandrillo who had the next opportunity to put scores on the board just a few minutes later when NPTC were penalised. The wind had picked up slightly and Morgan Williams' kick was sent well wide of the posts. However Llandrillo were definitely enjoying a period of dominance and less than two minutes later Tom Williams slipped through the NPTC defence to score. Morgan Williams' second kick of the game was more successful and he evened the score to 7 - 7.
In a similar vein to the first half, both sides remained equal for the majority of the second half. There was nothing to call between them and both displayed great offensive and defensive moves, Llandrillo's closest attempt of the second half coming when their scrum half dashed over the try line, only to be held up by NPTC's Jakob Blackmore in a try saving move.
Neath Port Talbot College's chance to go ahead came ten minutes from the end when their scrum half Scott Evans made a promising break. However Huw Owen for Llandrillo failed to release him following a tackle. Owen was yellow carded and NPTC were given a chance to at least go for the 3 points as a consolation. However, helped by the wind, the ball was sent wide and again the scores remained equal.
Neither team showed any interest in settling in for the draw and the final ten minutes saw both again test the other's defence. However, yet again they showed how equal they were and neither managed to score any more points. The final score stood at 7 - 7.
Elsewhere Gower College Swansea had a week off from the league and Bridgend College suffered an 80 - 7 hammering by league leaders, the unbeaten Coleg y Cymoedd.