Rumney : 15.K.O'Sullivan 14.P.Collett 13.G.Bowen 12.T.Daly 11.L.Plummer 10.J.Deacon  9.C.Milton 1.J.Leadbeatter  2.M.Feneck (Capt)  3.C.Fitzpatrick   4.A.Brake  5.M.Kelly   6.M.Way  7.R.Sutton  8.A.Wilson    Replacements :  J.Harris  N.Ritchie  D.Rees  E.James  B.Morris

Llanharan : 15.G.Shalton 14.A.Davies 13.J.Harris 12.L.Thomas 11.G.Williams 10.G.Worgan  9.R.Phillips 1.A.Ford   2.K.Worgan  3.G.Edwards (Capt)  4.N.Eaves 5.L.Davies  6.J.Jones  7.J.Myatt  8.A.Llewellyn    Replacements :  O.Williams  J.Connors  N.Allen  G.Jones  A.N.Other

Referee : Ken Bowen, Llanon, Llanelli

Scorers for Rumney : J.Deacon try and conversion, M.Feneck try

Scorers for Llanharan : G.Williams try, G.Shalton try, G.Worgan 3 penalties and 2 conversions

Despite perfect playing conditions for their particular style of open rugby, a lacklustre performance by Rumney saw them slump to defeat against old rivals Llanharan at Riverside Park. The visitors were in firey mood from the kick off with No8 Aled Llewellyn in the thick of things and the backs ready to run any ball. The home pack struggled initially and were pushed back in the first scrums, but soon settled and excellent line kicking from debutant outside half Joe Deacon relieved the pressure. The Rumney forwards set up solid drives, second rows Adam Brake and Michael Kelly working well in the boiler house, but a series of penalties allowed Llanharan to regain ground and in the fifteenth minute outside half Gethin Worgan opened the scoring with an accurate place kick. Rumney again launched attacks which often ended in knock ons, penalties or ill discipline, added to which the visitors defence was proving to be very sturdy, and it needed to be because Kelly, scrum half Chris Milton and flanker Ryan Sutton all tested it and continuous pressure was applied by props John Leadbeatter, Craig Fitzpatrick and hooker Michael Feneck. In the twenty seventh minute Sutton soared above a lineout, taking clean ball and setting up a powerful drive, Milton's snap pass found Deacon in midfield and the fly half split the defence and cleverly worked his way over the try line, his conversion putting Rumney into the lead at 7 - 3. Llanharan halfbacks Ryan Phillips and Worgan were sharp to attack from any positions and took full advantage of Rumney's continued tendency to give away penalties and produce unforced errors. Home back row forwards Anthony Wilson and Matthew Way found space for successful close range breaks and ripped balls from the opposition, while wingers Lincoln Plummer and Paul Collett made the most of the scraps of possession they could gather, but Llanharan continued to look threatening, particularly when second rows Nick Eaves and Lee Davies linked with their backs, and in the thirty third minute the scores were brought closer together with a second Worgan penalty. As half time approached, spilled ball and a turnover gave Llanharan the chance to start a fine threequarter movement which was finished off by winger Gary Williams touching down under the posts, Worgan's conversion putting his side ahead at the interval by 7 - 13.

More Rumney penalties after the restart disrupted their pattern of play and conceded possession and territory, Llanharan centres James Harris and Lloyd Thomas taking advantage of loose balls and flankers Justin Jones and John Myatt looking for work to do, and in the fiftieth minute Worgan extended the lead with a penalty in front of the posts. In the fifty fifth minute the increasingly confident visiting forwards set up a lengthy drive and a long pass from Worgan found full back Geraint Shalton in acres of space and ready to cruise in for his side's second try and conversion. The home centre combination of Tom Daly and Gareth Bowen had worked well all afternoon and Coach Steve Ford rang the changes in the forwards where No8 Dyfrig Rees, second row Emyr James and prop James Harris added new impetus, but Llanharan's defence remained solid until the seventy sixth minute when a clever pass by Deacon set up Captain Feneck to throw an unexpected dummy and breeze through for an excellent try. The final minutes were spent in the Rumney half where the Dairymen kept play tight and ran down the clock for a deserved and valuable away victory.

Steve Ford, Coach Rumney 1st XV : "The harder ground conditions suited our style and we knew that if we could get a bit of ball we could follow our game plan, which was to play fifteen man rugby. We had a very intense warm up and intended to spin the ball wide, we were switched on and then it all went wrong. Llanharan constricted our game and slowed it down and we weren't saving our ball in the breakdown area. We only had slow ball and we even tried to run that but if you are playing against a side which slows it down, there's not a lot you can do. We wanted to ruck in numbers against set targets but it didn't happen, the attitude and performance were poor. Llanharan constricted us very well, they stopped us playing and we got frustrated. I am so disappointed because the conditions were ideal for us. Michael Kelly worked all day long and was the Man of the Match and a special mention must go to outside half Joe Deacon who made his First Team debut today, he showed a lot of strength, scored a lovely try and controlled the game well."

Joe Deacon, outside half Rumney 1st XV : "I thought it went well but we let ourselves down in the contact area, Llanharan got their hands on the ball too easily before anyone arrived to help our ball carriers. My try came from quality possession in a lineout, Gareth Bowen ran a good line and made a hole for me, and then the back row came around and helped push me over the line. We didn't really have much quick ball for the backs, if we had had a bit more we could have caused a bit of damage. Michael Kelly played really well all around the park, smashing into rucks and putting in good tackles."