By: Paul Hopkins
Two late Ellis Lewis tries helped Swansea to an astonishing late victory over Cardiff in a match the Arms Park men led by 16 points with ten minutes left on the clock.
Centre Jack Hoskins made a promising break on the wing in the opening minutes, but he was tackled just short of half way, before a high kick by scrum half Matthew Aubrey was well defended by the Blue and Blacks, who cleared.
Full back Matty Young was penalised for holding on after the tackle and fly half Josh Phillips chipped up to the 22 with his penalty touch finder, although lock Craig Hudd nipped in to steal the lineout.
The Blue and Blacks gave away another penalty when flanker Nathan Hudd held on in the tackle, and this time Phillips found touch inside the Cardiff 22. Lock Chris Thompson tapped back an untidy lineout and full back Lewis Edwards chipped ahead, but the home side comfortably dealt with the danger.
However, Cardiff spilled the ball forward at the next phase of play to gift the Whites an attacking scrum just eight metres from the line. The visitors were driven off the ball though, allowing centre Osian Darwin-Lewis to sprint 50 metres upfield. A chip ahead meant for winger Aled Summerhill was collected by centre Callum Carson, but play was brought back for a home penalty. Fly half Lloyd Lucas turned down the kickable penalty to chip into the corner.
Craig Hudd took the lineout and a well controlled rolling maul almost results in a try, but for some outstanding defence by the Whites to secure a turnover. Number eight Aled Ward took a quick free kick from the scrum, but was held up over the line.
The visitors then took the lead when Edwards made a superb break on the wing, drawing in a defender, before handing a scoring pass to winger Harvey James. Phillips missed the conversion.
Phillips chipped into the 22 with a penalty and lock Cai Arnold took the lineout, with a rolling making yards, before Hoskins dropped the ball under pressure.
The home side were awarded another penalty and Phillips again kicked to touch inside the Cardiff 22. Chris Thompson took the lineout and Craig Hudd was penalised for offside at the maul. Another chip to the corner followed, but this time hooker Rhodri King was penalised for holding on after the tackle.
The visitors looked to attack again and the backs worked the ball out to the wing, but Carson was then wrapped up in midfield, before play was brought back for a penalty. Phillips again chipped into the corner, but Chris Thompson failed to take the lineout and the move broke down.
Ward took a lineout inside his own half and found centre Elijah Evans, who spotted a gap in the middle and raced 40 metres, before passing out wide to Summerhill. The Whites’ defence regrouped though and forced prop Ben Murphy into a knock on.
The visitors gave away a penalty inside their own 22 at the scrum, so Lucas chipped to the corner. Craig Hudd took the lineout and hooker Alun Rees claimed the try from the rolling maul. Replacement fly half Steff Crimp converted.
Number eight Luca Giannini took a lineout, and replacement centre Joe Thomas was well tackled in midfield, but the ball was recycled out wide to winger Liam Lloyd, but he was also tackled and then Giannini dropped the ball.
Phillips found touch inside the Cardiff 22, but a complete mess of a lineout allowed Cardiff to clear, and a well angled kick by Edwards forced Young to hurriedly clear to touch.
Arnold collected the lineout on the 22, but a Liam Lloyd chip through was comfortably dealt with by the Blue and Blacks. Instead, Crimp made a break and Darwin-Lewis spotted a gap in midfield, but he ignored the supporting Lloyd on his shoulder. The home side were awarded a penalty though and Crimp chipped to the corner.
Flanker Lucas de la Rua took the lineout and a superb rolling maul, with three backs joining, saw Alun Rees crash over for a try. Crimp converted.
Liam Lloyd showed good strength to make a break on the wing, but King forced a pass to flanker Ethan Fackrell, which was knocked forward.
A superb chip through by Edwards had to be dealt with by Crimp, but yet another Swansea lineout went wrong with Cardiff able to clear.
A third Cardiff try followed on the stroke of half time when Young made a break into the 22, before Summerhill raced through and found Lloyd on his shoulder, with the scrum half showing great strength to beat two tacklers for the score. Crimp converted.
Half-time:- Cardiff 21-5 Swansea
A poor pass by Darwin-Lewis meant for winger Dewi Cross sailed into touch, putting Cardiff under early pressure in their own 22. Replacement lock Matt Dodd took the lineout, and the Whites looked to attack but Giannini held on after the tackle and was penalised.
Phillips chipped up to the 22 with a penalty and Dodd took the lineout with Hoskins taking a crash ball in midfield, but the supporting Phillips was well tackled, and then replacement prop Daf Davies was penalised for holding on after the tackle.
The Blue and Blacks earned a turnover on half way, but Lloyd was forced into a box kick, which Edwards knocked forward to gift Cardiff a scrum, from which Swansea gave away a penalty. Crimp found touch inside the Swansea 22, but Ward couldn’t collect the lineout and gave away possession.
A superb deep clearance kick by Phillips forced Summerhill into a clearance to give the Whites an attacking lineout, although another chip through by Phillips was easily dealt with by the home side.
A superb chip and gather by Phillips took play inside the Cardiff 22, before an almighty fight broke out – well two separate fights to be precise. Aubrey and Alun Rees were both yellow carded for their part in the melee.
Replacement winger Tom Williams showed great strength to get over the gainline as Cardiff looked to attack, but replacement hooker Logan Lloyd was penalised for a professional foul, as he was also yellow carded.
James made a fantastic break on the wing and came inches from scoring, but Cross was penalised for a professional foul, and also yellow carded to leave both sides with 13 men.
Phillips chipped to the corner and the visitors threw the kitchen sink at the line, with Shenton squeezing over for a try to give his side a lifeline. Phillips converted.
Things got even better with a third Whites try following minutes later when Phillips chipped into the corner for James to gather, before the ball was passed inside to replacement scrum half Lewis, who scored. Phillips missed the conversion though from a straightforward position.
The match was completely turned on its head just a minute later when the visitors were back on the attack, with Lewis picking up the ball at a ruck and racing around the blind side to score and take his side back into the lead. Phillips converted.
Thomas dropped the ball at the restart to put his side under pressure inside his own 22. The Blue and Backs got the ball out of the scrum to Crimp, but play was brought back for an infringement at the scrum and a Cardiff penalty. Crimp chipped to the corner and lock Evan Rees took the lineout, but the home side gave away a penalty for obstruction.
A box kick by replacement scrum half Joe Williams was superbly collected by Cross as the Blue and Blacks spread play out wide, and then back into midfield, but the home side lost possession close to their own 22. Moments later the visitors kicked the ball out from a scrum to spark jubilant celebrations.
Next up for Cardiff is a home match against lowly RGC 1404, while Swansea host bottom side Pontypool.
Full-time:- Cardiff 21-24 Swansea
Cardiff:
Tries:- Alun Rees (34, 40+3), Ethan Lloyd (40+10)
Cons:- Steff Crimp (35, 40+4, 40+11)
Yellow cards:- Alun Rees (56), Dewi Cross (66)
Swansea:
Tries:- Harvey James (13), Iwan Shenton (72), Ellis Lewis (75, 77)
Cons:- Josh Phillips (73, 78)
Yellow cards:- Matthew Aubrey (56), Logan Lloyd (60)
Match facts:
Venue:- Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
Weather:- Light rain, 9C
Referee:- Amber Stamp-Dunstan
Man of the match:- Josh Phillips
Attendance:- 700
Cardiff team:
15 Matty Young
14 Aled Summerhill (rep: Tom Williams 59)
13 Elijah Evans
12 Osian Darwin-Lewis
11 Dewi Cross
10 Lloyd Lucas (rep: Steff Crimp 19)
9 Ethan Lloyd (rep: Joe Williams 73)
1 Ben Murphy (rep: Callum Donoghue-Proud 70)
2 Alun Rees
3 Tom Harper (rep: Christian Brooks 70)
4 Evan Rees
5 Craig Hudd ©
6 Lucas de la Rua
7 Nathan Hudd (rep: Gavin Parry 57-62, Ben Fry 62)
8 Aled Ward
Replacements:
16 Gavin Parry
17 Callum Donoghue-Proud
18 Christian Brooks
19 Ethan Phillips
20 Ben Fry
21 Joe Williams
22 Steff Crimp
23 Tom Williams
Swansea team:
15 Lewis Edwards
14 Liam Lloyd
13 Callum Carson (rep: Joe Thomas 33)
12 Jack Hoskins
11 Harvey James (rep: Willis Wood 76)
10 Josh Phillips (c)
9 Matthew Aubrey (rep: Ellis Lewis 70)
1 Tom Crockett (rep: Daf Davies 41)
2 Rhodri King (rep: Logan Lloyd 57)
3 Ed Thompson (rep: Berian Williams 65)
4 Cai Arnold (rep: Matt Dodd 41)
5 Chris Thompson
6 Iwan Shenton
7 Ethan Fackrell (rep: Rhodri King 62)
8 Luca Giannini (rep: Callum Bowden 47)
Replacements:
16 Logan Lloyd
17 Daf Davies
18 Berian Williams
19 Matt Dodd
20 Callum Bowden
21 Ellis Lewis
22 Joe Thomas
23 Willis Wood