Tredegar Ironsides - 8

AS they approach the business end of things, Aber have only one game remaining to try and force fate to bend their way in terms of winning the Division Three East title and securing promotion, and after that the ball is very much in the hands of their closest rivals - Fleur De Lys.

If Abergavenny win their last game against Pill Harriers on May 7 they could, if they secure a bonus point victory, finish with a maximum of 88 points.

However, Fleur have three games remaining, and bonus point victories in each would put them on 94 points. It is very much in the lap of the gods, but it will warrant a major banana skin for Fleur to slip-up on the way to crashing Aber's party.

Nevertheless all Aber can do is carry on regardless and pray their purple patch prevails as it certainly did in Saturday's open showdown with the Ironsides from up top.

Aber made some necessary changes from the previous week. Veteran Leighton Thomas came into the Inside centre berth and mobile and versatile flanker Tom Rees went to Outside centre. An experienced back row of Paul Cornock (8) James Williams (6) and Steve Hamer (7) meant the side had a blend of youth and experience entering this important penultimate league fixture.

Tredegar Ironsides came with a willingness to run the ball and it was refreshing to see a side prepared to play an open game.  

Tred took an early lead with a penalty, but the game began to swing in the favour of the home side as clever positional kicking and the ball bouncing their way on the hard surface gave them the lion's share of territory.  

It was a forward who claimed the first points however when the scrum drove over for Number Eight Paul Cornock to touch down, converted by Danny Haymond, 7-3. 

Both sides were kicking freely in attack. A loose kick from the visitors was gathered by Aber and after a series of drives the ball found full back Ryan Williams in midfield. With options limited he intelligently kicked the ball with the precision of a Brazilian midfielder into the arms of speedster Will Williams on the wing. He lit the afterburners and scorched home rounding the defence, 12-3.  

Minutes later Full Back Williams gathered again and put a hefty boot to the ball and was taken out late but the ref played on and was vindicated as the ball bounced again into the attacking home sides hands and fed out to Ian Davies who scored in the corner, 17-3. 

Front five forwards don't relish hot conditions, life is hot enough in the engine room. Prop Nick Gethin, who 'lies low in the water', was told by the coaches to go flat out for 40 minutes. He was all over the field contributing in his tight duties and hungry for work in open play taking the ball up the midfield in a series of bulldozing runs and throwing himself into tackles. Such are the demands of the modern Prop. He was substituted shortly after half time by Owen Staphnil having made a telling contribution. 

The openness of the match was evidenced with heavy forwards galloping into space. One such run by a visiting forward saw him stripped of the ball only for veteran Lock Lee Oakey to receive the ball on the edge of his 22.

The field opened before him and his heart must have sunk as he realised how far he would have to run. Undaunted and in testimony to his fitness he sprinted some 50 yards before unleashing the ubiquitous Ian Davies who had read the situation and was up in support to the grateful forward. Davies scored in the corner followed by a long conversion from James Harris, 24-3. This signalled the half time break. 

Aber began the second period as they had ended the first with open running. Wing Will Williams broke up the centre of the field from deep and chipped ahead. The visiting full back gathered it but Williams chased him down and the home forwards got to him first for the turnover. Scrum Half Harris peeled away and fed wing Ian Davies who wrong footed the last defender to complete his hat-trick, 29-3. 

Credit to the Ironsides, who although soundly beaten, did not surrender and scored a fine try from their own 22 as their winger sped up-field and chipped ahead for his fullback and 'Barclays Bomber' Daniel 'Eddy' Edwards to score, 29-8.  

More loose kicks from the visitors was again punished as captain Gareth Williams athletically caught the ball. He is not the largest forward but his determination and low centre of gravity causes defenders all sorts of problems. He carried for 20 yards into contact. Quick ball to Prop Rob Sevenoaks gained a further seven yards, quick to Lee Oakey for another seven, followed by Paul Cornock who fed Ryan Williams entering the line from Full Back to score, converted by Harris, 36-8 for the win and another step up the ladder that hopefully leads to Division Two East rugby.