Tredegar - 33

RETURNING to action after the Autumn Internationals interval, Abergavenny unfortunately picked up exactly where they left off - with another loss.

And although this time there was no bonus points to ease the hurt of a heavy away defeat at the hands of Division Two East league leaders Tredegar, coach Gary Lawrence was keen to stress that the attitude and commitment of the players on Saturday was probably the best it has been all season.

"I think in all honesty the score-line flattered Tredegar," said Lawrence after the game, " Although Tred deserved the win, we were only trailing 18-11 with about 15 minutes left on the clock, and I think if it had stayed like that it would have been a more apt reflection of proceedings.

"However, Tredegar run in two late tries, and so the final result looks like we received a bit of a hiding, but in reality we didn't."

Following a good start to the first-half by the claret and ambers, they went into the the interval 11-3 after an unconverted try and two penalties by the home-side, and a penalty from the boots of Steve Lang.

Lawrence added, "For the first ten minutes of the second-half we pretty much dominated and started to believe that perhaps we could snatch the game, but they then came back at us and applied lots of pressure, and although we defended well, they eventually run in one try too many."

Aber's consolation points in the second-half came from a try by new number nine Ross Bridling and another Lang penalty.

Lawrence said, "Ross had a great game on Saturday and is now officially on board, so that's our scrum-half dilemma taken care of for the foreseeable future.

"It's a position we've struggled with all season, but with James Harris hopefully returning to the thick of things in the near future, we'll be spoilt for choice at that position, and it's only a good thing for any club to have competition for places.

"Yes, it was another loss on Saturday, but I take heart from the way we defended, and the way our pack performed and fronted up to Tredegar - who are at the top of the table for a reason.

"I've got a definite feeling after this performance that the tide is definitely turning in our favour, and the right result will be coming our way someday soon."

This Saturday Abergavenny face Abercynon at Bailey Park, who like them are lingering at the bottom of the table with 11 points, but unlike Abergavenny, Abercynon have played one less and won one more.

Can the claret and ambers pick themselves up and shake the losing monkey off their back before it's too late? Find out at Bailey Park this Saturday from 2.30pm onwards.