Ladies Rugby

Lampeter Ladies 7 Penybanc Panthers 12

If there was any sceptic in the healthy crowd at Cwmann to women playing rugby then surely they would have left on the final whistle converted.

There was commitment, crunching tackles, skill and tension from start to final whistle in a game that was a credit to both teams and a pleasure to watch to the rugby purist.

Coming from a heavy defeat at the hands of Kidwelly the previous week it would have been easy for the inexperienced Panthers side to suffer a hangover, but they dusted themselves down and showed clear intent from the word go.

Creating a fine attack which started from the talented debutant Alana Woodford, she set the backline moving quickly but unfortunately, a dropped pass landed kindly into the hands of the impressive Lampeter outside half who spotted an empty space and kicked the ball ahead only to retrieve and score a fine try.

Penybanc lifted their heads and immediately got back into the game.

Every set piece produced a threatening attack from the Panthers but credit to the Lampeter defence for keeping them out.

Pressure did finally turn into points on 33 minutes when Sophie Mangano’s power showed and she crashed over the whitewash to make the score 7-5 at half time.

The second half started brightly for the visitors with wave after wave of attack but frustratingly the final pass always seemed to go astray.

Lampeter gave as good as they got in attack but the Panthers hooker Jodie Lewis put several massive hits on the Lampeter team to thwart any advances into the Panthers danger zone.

With time running out for the Panthers a scrum was awarded inside the Lampeter 22 and in-form Eleri Jones picked up from the base of the scrum and forced her way nearer the try line.

With the forwards working hard to secure the ball it was shipped to the yet again impressive Holly Roderick who created space to dive under the post to score which was converted by Catrin Rees the orchestrator of many of the Panthers fine moves.

To everyone’s relief the referee who had a fine game himself blew the final whistle.

Newly appointed coach Mathew Brayley beamed: “it was a real ding dong affair with both teams entertaining the crowd but on reflection I think we deserved the win today.”

The Panthers can now look forward to taking on Bargoed Bears next Sunday at Penybanc.

Panther Nerys Jenkins, who sustained a serious injury recently, was able to attend and all at Penybanc wish her well with her recovery.