Fixture

Splish Splash Splosh Splat!

With a strong wind blowing straight down the pitch and increasingly

frequent rain showers it was going to be a day for the Heavy rather than Light Brigade.

The underfoot conditions were fine to begin with and remained playable to the end of the match, credit to their groundkeeper, but became ever more squishy under foot.

The Lions chose to play with the wind in the first half and from the kick of young Rose volleyed the ball back into the ‘Cockerels’ (Heol y Cyw’s nickname) half.

For a long time it looked as though 0-0 might be a possible final score (I wish) but the heavier home pack were retaining the ball for longer periods and the attritional attack paid dividends when a gap opened in the defence and they scored the opening try.

The remaining five minutes of the half returned to a mid-pitch wrestling fest and when the referee blew his whistle it has time to huddle together like the penguins in Blue Planet.

Half Time Heol y Cyw 5 Llanishen 0

You know conditions are tough when you meet Captain Oates, whilst walking around the pitch, telling you he may be gone a short while.

“Yeh, right!” He along with a number of Lion’s supporters beat a retreat to the Cyw’s Clubhouse (The list of deserters: the Lynch’s, Ivins’, Mega 4 posse and assorted waifs and strays). Sensible souls!

So plink. plank, plonk the second half began.

The home team scored early in the half and the team faced an uphill task, both literally and physically, from this point.

The pressure was incessant and with injuries mounting it was no surprise when tries were scored at regular intervals.

The final whistle brought relief to all and a footrace to reach the showers. A tough day but no player shirked their roles and positive results will come when the weather improves and players come off the sick list.

So the Cockerel’s defeated the Lions – Aesop inspired stories to the website, please – and increased their relegations worries. The fixture list does, however, reveal that their fate is in their hands with three games to come against the current bottom two sides.

Full Time Heol y Cyw 36 Llanishen 0

So a swift change into dry clothing and then onward to the Clubhouse only to be met with a wall of heat and the sight of ten Llanishen supporters in their cups. Quitters!

Positive news required and provided when the results of the Seconds and Youth came through. The former beating Caerau Ely 29-0 and the Youth reversed an early season loss by beating Pontyclun 31-5. Two bonus point wins to warm the cockles.