Hooker Connor Chapman scored a crucial late try as Dragons Under-18s gained a hard fought 26-7 victory over a competitive Ospreys outfit at Ystrad Mynach on Tuesday evening.
Dragons started strongly with flanker George Young crashing over from short range after ten minutes, with man-of-the-match Will Reed adding the conversion.
Ospreys hit back four minutes later with a try through dangerous Winger Callum Dodd, which was converted by centre Joe Hawkins.
The balance of the game went back and forth for the next quarter, until on the half hour - following a series of concerted phased attacks – it was fly half Reed who burst over.
On the half-time whistle the Dragons lost scrum half Che Hope with a shoulder injury.
The second half resumed with the Ospreys mounting a series on furious forages into Dragons territory.
However, full back Joe Westwood came up with the perfect response when he intercepted a lose pass inside his own half and sprinted over on 40 minutes. Reed duly added the conversion.
The next 20 mins saw a frenzy of activity with Dragons suffering two yellow cards – to Aaron Dowse and Adam Williams - and suffer a number of injuries.
Following several substitutions, normal service was resumed on 68 minutes when hooker Chapman scored the final try of the night and Westwood obliged with the successful conversion.
Timeline:
10m Young t Reed c 7-0
14m Dodd t Harris c 7-7
30m Reed t 12-7
40m Westwood t Reed c 19-7
68m Chapman t Westwood c 26-7
Dragons Under-18s: Joe Westwood, Carrick McDonough, Johnny Paynter, Oliver Andrews (Mohring 61), Oliver Andrew, Will Reed (Anderson 62), Che Hope (Lloyd 35); Aaron Dowse (Williams 60), Conor Chapman, Adam Williams (Powell 55), Joe Peard (Woodman 68), Lewis Stansfield, George Young, Sam Scarfe, Ben Moa (Thomas 39)
Replacements: Liam Lewis, Jarred Williams, Jack Powell, Ryan Woodman, Lloyd Thomas, Morgan Lloyd, Morgan Mohring, Hamish Anderson
Pictures courtesy of Simon Latham - click HERE for more from the fixture.
