Abergavenny RFC - 31
Pontypool United RFC - 5
ABERGAVENNY produced a lava hot performance with the ball in hand to press for the Division Three East title as they stormed to a 31-5 victory over Pontypool United.
The visitors began with great intent and ran the ball wide and fast. In the first ten minutes they missed two kickable penalties before Abergavenny settled and put the first points on the board with a try from open side flanker Tom Rees who ran at a gap in the Ponty defence and galloped home unopposed from 20 yards.
This was soon followed by another try created by Stuart Davies in the centre who broke the defensive line and drew two defenders before releasing wing Ian Davies to score, converted by Danny Haymond, 12-0.
Aber were now dominant and with the sun at their backs the supporters looked forward to a feast of running rugby.
They were not disappointed and try three soon followed when the pack demonstrated their dominance at a scrum 10 yards from the visitor's line. Number eight Paul Cornock picked from the base and drove over.
Ponty showed spirit and without a natural kicker were prepared to run possession from anywhere, which made for entertaining viewing.
If they had not made so many unforced errors their fortunes may have been different.
Their number eight had a fine game and salvaged much of the visitor's ball under enormous pressure from the home pack and not aided by the lassitude of his fellow fowards.
Alas too much possession was conceded to Abergavenny who led 19-0 at Half time.
Soon into the second half Aber received a set back with key running centre Stuart Davies replaced with a rib injury.
Ponty got a deserved try after much pressure after working the ball wide from a series of rucks putting their Outside Centre over, 19-5.
This roused the home side from their slumber and they began to re-establish dominance with vigour.
A line out 15 yards from the Ponty line saw Lee Oakey claim clean ball at the front and the pack drove to the line before the maul collapsed.
Quick thinking by scrum half James Harris saw him pick and dive over for the score. Harris had a fine game and his special awareness and speed of thought in the heat of battle allowed him to keep the pack going forward with several clever chips into space, gaining territory which earnt him Man of the Match.
The final try was scored after several phases took Aber deep into the visitors 22. The fullback Ryan Southall entered the line creating space for Winger Ian Davies who had crossed from the opposite wing to receive the scoring pass.
Haymond stepped up for the conversion to make it 31-5 and a ninth consecutive league victory.
Although Abergavenny are currently sitting on top of the Divison Three East tree, Fleur Dy Lys still hold the advantage with three games in hand over the leaders and if they win all their games with bonus points the title is theirs.
All Aber can do is to plug away and deliver bonus point victories in their remaining games.
The campaign will resume this Saturday when Bailey Park plays host to the Tredegar Ironsides in Aber's penultimate game of the season. Kick-off is at 2.30pm.