RISCA RFC - 18

ABERGAVENNY RFC - 31

ABERGAVENNY put their away game losing streak to bed on Saturday as they hung on in for a hard-fought win over Risca.

A completely changed front row took the field for the visitors in the shape of new recruit Bryan Wright at tight head, captain Gareth Williams at hooker and Owen Williams at loose head.

Aber's recent shortage of front row players can be blamed on the virility of some players with both Captain Gareth Williams and prop Nick Gethin recently becoming fathers and taking some well deserved paternity leave.

Lineout ace Rhys Willard returned to the engine room and the back row of Rees, Cornock and Hitchman remained the same as last week. The only change in the backs saw Sandy Aitken return at scrum half.

Aber began strongly with a high tempo game, yet it was the home side who drew first blood after 15 minutes with a well worked try, (5-0).

Aber responded quickly when a quick tap penalty by Sandy Aitken caught the defence napping and led to a further penalty in Risca's 22, as the homeside lost a forward to the sin bin.

Risca made the fatal error of assuming Aber would kick in front of posts but Vice-Captain Stuart Davies took a quick tap and Aber capitalised on a three man overlap for wing Andy Watson to score in the corner. A long conversion from Stuart Davies gave Aber the lead 5-7.

Another penalty shortly followed to make it 5-10 to Aber, but the lead was short lived and Risca's Rhys Carpenter, who possesses a kicking prowess seldom seen in Division three, replied with a penalty of his own to make it 8-10.

A speculative Risca kick was gathered by the alert Will Williams who linked with Ryan Williams for Stuart Davies to score under the posts from 45 yards out and convert himself (8-17).

Carpenter kept Risca in it with another long range penalty to make it 11-17 at half time.

Risca rallied after the break and took the lead with a converted try, 18-17.

The game swung violently in Risca's favour when some some fisticuffs in midfield saw both Alex Gethin and Gareth Williams sent to the sin bin.

This really put Aber on the back foot and they were forced to take off back row Josh Hitchman and bring on Owen Staphnil in the front row for scrums.

A period of consolidation was now called for to count down the clock and the defence held firm despite some over exuberant attempts to run when a more conservative approach was called for.

The final quarter of the game saw Aber's pack returned to full strength which led to a resurgence of confidence in the visitors who were determined to overhaul the one point defecit.

After a series of six scrums, Cornock picked and drove, supported by Hitchman whose strength saw him cross for a deserved try under the posts, converted by Davies to return Aber the lead (18-24).

With minutes to go the forwards battered at Risca's now creaking door seeking a bonus point with a fourth try. A series of rucks saw scrum-half Aitken break at the defence from 10 yards and feed Jack Flower in support, who carried two defenders over under the posts from five yards to score an converted try (18-31).

Rumour has it that coach Tony Edwards was so elated after the game he almost broke into a smile.

Next week Aber have a bye in the league as they were to play the now disbanded Newport Saracens.