A new season start for a new-look Caerphilly RFC side produced a 13-try thriller for the travelling Caerphilly fans on September 5, with man of the match Joe Haley on the right wing grabbing a hat-trick in the second half.
Second Row Mark Davies and Centre Will Worthington grabbed a brace, with Damian Corns, Alex Lawrence, Matthew Hurley, Chris Thomas, substitute Phil Dymond and captain Nathan Gittings each scoring a try. Outside half Matthew Hurley also converted four tries and a penalty, whilst replacement Kieran Dymond converted five.
Caerphilly started the League 3 East A clash sketchy – the team struggling to bond with four scrum penalties awarded against the side in the first ten minutes. However they did manage a three-minute penalty courtesy of Hurley to open the scoring.
The Cheesemen continued to push before scoring their first try on 13 minutes. Captain Nathan Gittings crossed in the corner, finishing a move that started with a lineout in their own 22.
A quick tap from the top saw the ball into the hands of Simon Skinner, a quick sidestep saw the centre break the home defence and sprint up field. Good support from Hurley took the side further up field before a miss pass in midfield reached Full Back Gittings on the left wing to dive over the line.
Ten minutes later and the visitors extended their lead. Having fallen just short of the line out wide on the left, a tap penalty finally produced a ruck in front of the posts. Second row Mark Davies was on hand to burst through the defence and cross the line, Hurley adding the spoils. Having lost their prop to the sin bin, the home side were struggling and Davies was on hand again minutes later bursting through again following a lineout steal from second row Anthony Meads deep in the 22. Centre Will Worthington broke free to score Caerphilly’s fourth just minutes later, Hurley converting, before the centre was again on hand to complete his brace on the stroke of half time, scoring out wide on the left.
The pressure was relentless with the second half underway, and it took just 5 minutes before left wing Chris Thomas crossed the whitewash out wide following a great break in midfield by No.8 Alex Lawrence. Davies was instrumental with the next score, following another break through the centre and Lawrence was on hand to power over. With 60 minutes on the clock Hurley crossed and converted his own try before a round of substitutions from the visiting side.
Replacement scrum half Phil Dymond was on hand to burst through the home defence his brother Kieran adding the conversion before Newport grabbed a converted try from the restart with Caerphilly disjointed.
Haley grabbed the first of his hat trick on 68 minutes, coming off his right wing to make an extra man, breaking through to score under the posts, Dymond again converting. Four minutes later and another Davies break in midfield produced a try for Damien Corns before Haley grabbed his second and best. Collecting a high ball within his own 5mtr line, the winger side stepped the rushing attackers and ran the length of the field to score under the posts, Dymond adding the easy two points.
Haley was again on hand to collect a pass from Kieron Dymond as he broke through the defence brought down short of the line but with still time to get a pass away to Haley who again touched down under the posts, Dymond adding the extras.
Back at Virginia Park, Caerphilly’s 2nd XV also rattling up the points as they defeated Abercwmboi 2nd XV by 74 points to 14. While Caerphilly Youth went down at home in a friendly against Nantyfyllon by 12 points to 22
Next weekend the Fist XV welcome Tredegar, whilst the 2nd XV travel to Penygraig, Kick off at 2.30pm. The Youth team entertain Glamorgan Wanderers at Virginia Park in the first round of the WRU Welsh Cup, kick off 2pm.
Report and photography by Mark Tamplin.