With three players making their debut and a host of players that joined in the later part of last season, it was a new look Croesyceiliog team that took to the field in this pre-season friendly.
In hot and humid conditions, Croesyceiliog started well with two early tries. The first score was a strong run to the line from debutant Kate Cleaton, followed by the first of three from Charlotte Kembrey. Kembrey’s score was converted by another debutant Bethan Chancellor.
With the score at 12-0, Bargoed scored two tries before the end of the first of three 20 minute periods. Both tries came from Kirsty Hardach’s quickly taken penalties, with Stacey Love and Ceri Bailey crashing over. Hardach converted the first of these tries leaving the score finely balanced at 12-12.
Croesyceiliog started to take control in the second 20 minute period with two well worked tries. The first was a result of a strong drive to the right hand corner for Lee Hatherall to touch down. The second score came from a penalty on Croesyceiliog’s own 22, with a break and pass to Nicola Smith who sprinted for the line and placed the ball under the posts.
Kerry Jenkins’ conversion took the score to 24-12 at the end of the second period.
The first score of the final third came directly from the kick off with Bargoed’s Ceri Bailey latching on to the ball and powering through the defensive line to score the vistor’s final points of the game.
Despite the setback, Croesyceiliog bounced back strongly from this setback with a further four tries in this final period. Two more tries from Kembrey capped a fine performance with a well-deserved hat trick. A fine passing move was then finished well by lock Ainsley Graydon with her first try for the team and the score was rounded off with another long sprint for the line by Smith.
Croesyceiliog Ladies league fixtures kick off on 1st September at 14:30 with the long trip to Caernarfon. New players aged 11-17 and 18+ are welcome at training on Mondays and Thursdays 7.00pm, at Woodland Road Croesyceiliog.
