Abergavenny RFC - 38

Tredegar Ironsides - 12

ABER's recipe for success and appetite for victory proved too much for the Ironsides on Saturday as the Bailey Park backs gorged themselves silly with try after try.

Abergavenny finished last season as one of the top try scoring sides in Welsh Rugby. 12 tries in the last two games has given supporters hope that Aber can maintain similar standards.

This week saw a return of prop Nick Gethin and back rower Stuart Sherrard.

Debutant scrum half Alexander 'Sandy' Aitken was the new link between the 'piano shifters' and the 'piano players' with versatile Andy Watson playing in his fourth position in as many games, - this week at outside centre. Sam Vaughan replaced Watson at left wing.

Tredegar Ironsides travelled without a fully functional font row and therefore the game had to be played with uncontested scrums. It was feared this would be problematical for the homeside who had hoped to use their forward prowess to dominate.

Aber needn't have worried because the first signs of a try fest came from the ease which Stuart Davies ghosted past his opposite number off first phase ball from a lineout and with a burst of pace from 30 yards scored an unconverted try (5-0).

After a few failed penalty attempts at goal from the visitors, Aber carried the ball through driving forward play and camped inside the Irons' 22.

Will Williams eventually crossed when a short flat pass saw him reach the foot of the post and ground the ball under a pile of bodies for a try converted by Watson to give Aber a 12-0 half time lead.

Aber began the second half with the lion's share of possession, which they capitalised on when a tireless Owen Staphnil fed Nathan Preece at Outside Half. The confident half back attacked a gap between the now scattered defence and half hearted tackles saw him skip across the try-line for a converted try by Watson (19-0).

Sensing the game and bonus point was there for the taking it was not long before the strong running Stuart Davies caused chaos in the visitors ranks again by breaking another tackle and feeding Preece for another easy run in, converted by Watson (26-0).

This stirred the visitors and feeling a whitewash was on the cards they raised their game. keeping things tight through a number of lineouts and driving mauls showed the home side, that rugby does not need to be pretty to be effective as Tredegar scored (26-5).

Aber returned to the fray with the forwards mirroring the Irons' driving play and tacking them to their own line only to loose flanker Sherrard to a yellow card for an indiscretion at a ruck. The visitors seized on the opportunity of having a man advantage and uncontested scrums, as a heavy forward stood at half back, received a gift ball from a scrum and drove over for a converted try (26-12).

A seminal moment from number eight Paul Cornock, who had been outstanding in the lineout and loose, came when his all enveloping tackle drove a targeted Tred player back helplessly.

This re-ignited Aber's offensive spark as they worked through the phases and stretched play before finding an opening with Will Williams again coming off his wing to take a flat pass and score from seven yards (31-12).

The last try of the day came from Stuart Davies who received a loop pass from Williams on the wing, to score beneath the posts and convert, as Tredegar were served up on a plate for the 'food festival crowd to relish.

Despite a comfortable win the forwards will know they did not get a full work out. A sterner examination will follow next Saturday at Blaina. KO 2.30pm.