Welsh cup challenge back on track (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

Welsh cup challenge back on track

3:00pm Monday 14th November 2011 in London Welsh By Damian Dolan

Mike Denbee crossed twice as London Welsh got their British & Irish Cup campaign back on track with victory over Aberavon at Old Deer Park.

Denbee’s opening try would come just four minutes in, but the Championship side would not have it their own way against the Welsh Premiership leaders and the Wizards were level just four minutes later when the prolific Richard Morris crossed to increase his Aberavon club try scoring record to 152.

Ben John’s try and two Craig Evans penalties saw the Wizards lead 19-14 at the break, despite Alex Davies landing three penalties for the Exiles.

However, just as at Doncaster Knights the previous weekend, Welsh would keep their opponents scoreless during a second half punctuated by three yellow cards – two for Aberavon and one for the Exiles.

Denbee’s second try of the afternoon in the 58th minute proved the game’s deciding moment, with Alex Davies adding a further eight points to his tally to give Welsh their second win from three games in the cup.

The Welsh flanker opened the scoring after Davies had taken play up to the Aberavon 22 with a penalty. Despite scrappy ball from the lineout, Welsh manoeuvred their way up to the line and Denbee forced his way over from close range.

But the Wizards responded well, led by Ben John. The full back worked his way up the left hand touchline before combining with Darryl Harvey and Will Taylor, with the away side halted within sight of the line. A penalty, though, was pushed into the corner by Evans and from the lineout Morris dived over. Evans couldn’t convert but he was on target shortly afterwards with a penalty to give the away side the lead.

Alex Davies replied to level and then nudged the Exiles back in front with his second penalty, after a sliced Aberavon clearance found touch on the full and play was brought back to just outside the Wizards’ 22.

The lead, however, would prove a difficult commodity to protect. Evans was off target with a penalty but his grubber kick was then perfect for Ben John to collect and dive over in the corner. Evans couldn’t add the extras but Aberavon still led by two.

That was until Welsh won a penalty at a scrum just inside the Aberavon half and Alex Davies’ kick just had the legs to creep over the bar.

Offside in midfield, however, immediately presented Evans with the chance to snatch the lead back for the visitors and he duly obliged, before adding his third penalty in first half injury-time to see the Wizards take a 19-14 lead into the break.

The Exiles were nearly level within seconds of the restart when Ashley Smith was forced into touch in the corner, but the home side’s positive start to the second half brought the first of the game’s yellow cards as centre Liam Gadd was sent to the bin for a high tackle on Seb Jewell.

Alex Davies’ penalty closed the gap with Gadd then sensationally joined in the sin bin by wing Richard Thomas. Welsh looked in when Paul Mackey burst through and fed Ed Jackson, only for the number eight’s pass inside for Smith deemed to have been deliberately knocked on by Thomas.

Welsh, though, would struggle to make their two man numerical advantage tell on the scoreboard and were soon a man light themselves when things threatened to boil over and captain Gary Johnson was singled out for his part and despatched to the sin bin.

Evans missed with his penalty attempt with Gadd returning to the fray to make it a 14-a-side game, but it was now that Welsh struck what would prove the decisive blow, as Alex Davies and Mackey combined to set up Denbee for his second.

Alex Davies’ conversion gave Welsh a 24-19 lead, which the fly half extended with his fifth successful penalty of the game four minutes later.

Aberavon refused to give up and with Welsh hungry for more tries it made for some end-to-end rugby in the final 15 minutes, but neither side was further able to further trouble the scorers.

London Welsh: Tries: Denbe (2); Cons: Davies; Pens: Davies (5).

Aberavon: Tries: Morris, Ben John; Pens: Evans (3).

London Welsh: James Lewis, Liam Gibson, Paul Mackey, Seb Jewell, Ashley Smith, Alex Davies, Ben Stevenson, Guillermo Roan, Vili Ma’asi, James Tideswell, Adam Brown, Matt Corker, Gary Johnson ©, Mike Denbee, Ed Jackson.

Replacements: George Thomas for Ma’asi (62mins), Billy Moss for Tideswell (62mins), Lee Beach for Jackson (62mins), Jack Moates for Stevenson (65mins), Martin Purdy for Brown (68mins), Edd Thrower for Lewis (74mins).

Replacements not used: Will Hurrell.

Yellow cards: Gary Johnson (51mins).

Aberavon: Ben John, Chris Lewis, Will Price, Liam Gadd, Richard Thomas, Craig Evans, Dan Davies, Neil White, Darryl Harvey, Will Taylor, Rhyian Gierat, Gavin Ronan, James King, Richard Morris, Chris Davies ©.

Replacements: Chris John for Taylor (54mins), Rowan Jenkins for White (59mins), James Donovan for Davies, Rory Gallagher for Morris (59mins), Sam Williams for Ronan (59mins), Gareth Harvey for Darryl Harvey (62mins), Thomas Howard for Evans (68mins).

Yellow cards: Liam Gadd (43mins), Darren Gamage (46mins).

Half-time: 14-19.

Referee: James Matthew; Assistant referee’s: Darren Gamage & Chris Seeley.

Attendance: 840