Abergavenny -18

Abertillery Blaenau Gwent - 28

DIVISION Three East leaders Abertillery Blaenau Gwent proved too much of an handful for the clarets whose first match of 2013 ended in a defeat.

Abertillery have only lost one league fixture to date this season and when the two teams met in September, Aber lost by a single point. Consequently Abergavenny believed they could take the spoils on their own turf at Bailey Park.

On a heavy pitch both sides began at a frantic pace eager to burn off those excess yuletide calories.

A number of key first team regulars were unavailable which allowed the coaches to give opportunities to emerging players, none more so than both props who are fresh out of youth rugby - Ryan Morgan and Louigi Ocampo.

Each played a full match and accounted for themselves well in the scrums where Aber held parity with the visitors throughout. For once there were very few collapsed scrums despite the conditions under foot.

The visitors took the lead after a 30 yard driving maul and from first phase spread the ball wide and with excellent support play, their full back scored a converted try beneath the sticks, 0-7.

Aber fought back into the game but were always going to need something special against a confident Abertillery side that did the basics very well and boasted experienced ex-Osprey and Dragon Sean Connor at outside half, who is now enjoying his rugby at the club he hailed from.

Aber drew level after poacher and outside centre James Spooner sprinted up on his opposite number and a poor pass gifted him an interception try which he ran home from 45 yards, converted by scrum half Lewis Evans, 7-7.

Full back Will Williams saved a certain try minutes later with a fine tackle five yards from the line forcing the player to knock on. The scrum was wheeled by the visitors and the next scrum awarded to them. From this their number eight drove and the recycled ball was put through the hands of each back for the winger to score in the opposite corner with room to spare, 7-12.

Lewis Evans reduced the deficit for Aber with a penalty to bring the half time score to 10-12 to the visitors.

Another penalty by Evans soon after the break gave the home side the lead, 13-12 and no little belief that they could now take command of this match. The visitors however raised their game and kept Aber defending for the next ten minutes and were rewarded with a try from their winger fed from a scrum 10 yards from the home side's line, 13-17.

From the restart Abergavenny answered back with a powerful drive from lock Josh Hitchman to within 10 yards of the visitor's line. An infringement in the tackle gave Aber a penalty and a quick tap saw the ball spread wide to wing Nathan Byrne who squeezed in in the corner to give the lead back to the home side, 18-17.

With a quarter of the game remaining it was anybody's game but it was the visitors who finished strongest regaining the lead with two penalty kicks and sealing victory with a fourth and bonus point try in the closing stages.

Aber travel to Pontypool United next week to try and avenge a home defeat earlier in the season.