Rumney : 15.P.Niblett (Capt) 14.J.Offside 13.A.Jones 12.I.Blackburn 11.M.Miller 10.M.O'Neill  9.P.Nash 1.P.Douglas 2.C.O'Donoghue 3.R.Hanmer 4.J.Braine 5.M.Kelly 6.B.Phillips 7.R.Fenton 8.C.Barker  Replacements :   N.Ritchie C.Gale S.Coles P.Carlton

Mountain Ash : 15.G.Roberts 14.R.Davies 13.A.Tindall 12.A.Owen 11.J.Lock 10.N.Griffiths  9.M.Thomas 1.D.O'Brien 2.C.Evans 3.G.Greenaway 4.M.Anderson (Capt) 5.C.Roberts 6.S.Davies 7.C.Edmunds 8.R.Savage  Replacements :  M.Parfitt A.Shellard P.Lloyd G.Lewis

Referee : Alan Jenkins, Swansea

Scorers for Rumney : M.Kelly try, P.Nash conversion and penalty

Scorers for Mountain Ash : A.Owen try, R.Davies try and penalty, S.Davies try, N.Griffiths 2 conversions

A high paced and dominant opening by Rumney hardly suggested that this match would end in their third consecutive defeat, but despite impressive attacking breaks by hooker Colin O'Donoghue and No8 Carl Barker, and a fifth minute penalty by scrum half Paul Nash, it was not long before the unforced errors which would eventually cost them the game, started to appear. After ten minutes Mountain Ash centre Adrian Owen seized on a loose pass to sprint unopposed to the posts and score the opening try. Outside half Nicky Griffiths kicked the conversion and the visitors were soon on the rampage again, taking advantage of dropped passes and aimless kicks, scrum half Meirion Thomas and Owen carving out big gaps after breaking tackles, and sensing possible weaknesses in the opposition defences, the Mountain Ash backs started to play more expansively. In the seventeenth minute winger Ryan Davies took his side 3 - 10 into the lead when they were awarded a penalty in front of the posts for a foul tackle, but the home side came back strongly and conjured up the finest move of the match. From a shortened line out Barker supplied rapid, quality ball to Nash who linked with outside half Michael O'Neill just inside his own half. A cleverly delayed pass from O'Neill to second row Michael Kelly on the burst allowed the flying forward to brush off tackles at speed and sprint forty eight metres to touch down under the sticks. O'Donoghue, Barker, flanker Ryan Fenton and centre Ian Blackburn continued to cause major problems in midfield leading to long periods of pressure, but handling errors and missed tackles allowed the visitors to break out and keep play largely deep in Rumney territory, with Davies scoring a try before the interval to give Mountain Ash a half time lead of 10 - 15.

Rumney resumed play by applying more forward pressure but problems in the lineout and more unforced errors proved costly and they were again unable to turn the pressure into points. Battling efforts from Fenton, props Rhodri Hanmer and Paul Douglas, winger Matthew Miller and Blackburn all took play deep into the Mountain Ash twenty two, but lost possession and further difficulties at the lineout meant that the try line was not breached and eventually the visitors forced play back upfield where centre Aran Tindall was unlucky not to score. Protecting their lead by keeping play tight in the forwards, the Old Firm maintained their attacking position and eventually flanker Scott Davies charged down a clearance kick and pounced to score the decisive try. For the closing quarter Mountain Ash tightened their defences further and despite good efforts from Barker and full back Phil Carlton, Rumney were still hampered by errors and missed touch kicks. By contrast, the visitors' accurate line kicking relieved any pressure and their increasingly dangerous counterattacks only broke down because of their own handling errors. With neither side adding to their score in the final period, Mr Jenkins' whistle signalled a convincing 10 - 22 victory for Mountain Ash on their first visit to Riverside Park in nearly ten years.

Steve Ford, Coach Rumney 1st XV : "We started off well for the first ten minutes, going through the phases, but after fifteen minutes we shut down and did not have any territory for twenty minutes. The problem is that we can not get our momentum going but the second half showed that there are lots of guts and character when we are going forward. After twenty minutes we faded again, maybe it is the attitude, I don't know, I've only been in the job for two or three weeks and it is a fresh start for me and the players. It will come, we have got to be patient and work hard. Give us another two or three weeks and we will turn it around, in general the boys did ok but you won't win by being ok, you have got to be a level above that. We came second to a good side today and we must take the positives into the next game, we were very good in parts but need to be on top for longer. Michael Kelly's try was outstanding and Colin O'Donoghue was the Man of the Match."

Stuart Coles, Forwards Coach Rumney 1st XV : " After last week's encouraging display we did not perform anywhere near as well today, especially in the first half where we allowed Mountain Ash to play and as a result their confidence grew. We could not get enough field position and in the second half there was some desperate play. We are in a dog fight now but I am confident that we can turn this around. Once we record another win, and with our new signings, we hope to be more consistent. Colin O'Donoghue was outstanding today and led from the front."

Carl Barker, No8 Rumney 1st XV : "We started well and got an early penalty. Everybody tried hard and with a bit more composure and confidence the game could have been better. Colin O'Donoghue was impressive today. I am sure that if we all train hard every Tuesday and Thursday we can get it together and turn the season around."