Merthyr Claim Win

RGC 18 Merthyr 25

Tuesday 27^th December 2022

RGC failed to build on a 15-8 halftime lead at Stadiwm CSM, as Merthyr ended the year with the win.

A crowd of 1,637 watched RGC start the game strongly and even with the wet conditions the Gogs looked to play the ball at times in the opening 40, creating some good opportunities

The opening try came after a good grubber kick from Sam Earl-Jones before captain Afon Bagshaw collected for the score.

It became a bit of a kicking game with both sides looking to force an error with the rain coming down hard

RGC extended the lead with a well-worked try with Afon Bagshaw and Rhys Tudor moved the ball before Efan Jones touched down. Dion Jones hit the extras.

Merthyr got some points on the board with a Gareth Thompson penalty.

The Gogs found themselves down to 14 when Efan Jones was shown a yellow card for a high tackle.

Minutes later the Ironmen went over for a try, with Rhys Williams claiming it.

Even with a man down RGC got some more points with a Dion Jones penalty and a 7-point lead at the break.

The 2^nd half failed to kick on, and RGC will look back at a few errors from a couple of expansive passes that didn’t go to hand to a penalty opportunity in which they went for the attacking lineout and then lost it.

Merthyr began to win the battle around the scrum, and they had a try disallowed from a forward pass that ended with a Sam Jones in the corner.

That was the warning sign, and minutes later the former RGC winger did go over and Thompson converted to level the score.

They took the lead with a Thompson penalty and RGC were having to dig in defensively.

The pace of the game was slower in the 2^nd half, and the stoppages added up which seemed to knock the Gogs out of any flow, and they struggled to put much together with the ball.

A high ball was sent up and Dion Jones couldn’t collect it, and as the ball bounced around Josh Lewis got a boot to it and slid to collect for the crucial score.  Again Thompson was on point and hit the extras.

With 2 minutes left on the clock, Dion Jones hit a penalty but RGC couldn’t create another opportunity and the Ironmen left with the win.

Head Coach Ceri Jones

“I thought up to the 50^th minute we controlled the game and dealt with the Merthyr kicking game and then we went to the corner from a penalty and the through wasn’t straight. They went up the pitch and the momentum shifted.

It was frustrating as the things we had done right in past weeks, we didn’t do today – composure, staying in the game and giving ourselves a chance to win – didn’t happen.

We looked to offload, when we should have looked after the ball at times.  The Dion Jones moment could have happened to any of the back 3 tonight under the wet conditions.

As a group we are all disappointed, tv game over Christmas but we now have to react in a positive manner with Newport away next.  We have enjoyed playing down there in recent years, so we will review this game and work on what we need to improve on. If we get the principles of our game right then we will always be in with a chance, and we didn’t do that today.”