ABERGAVENNY traveled to Pill on Saturday and in a topsy turvy affair were denied the victory at the last minute by a tenacious Pill outfit.

Weddings, injuries and unavailability saw eight changes to the Aber side. Jamie Knight joined Captain Williams and Ryan Morgan in the front row, Fred Pursey and Ellis Jones forged a second row partnership, and Dan Beavan and Ieuan James joined CJ Woodhouse in the back row.

With no scrum half available, Sam Vaughan stepped into the breach to partner Rhodri Webster. Kirk Marsh, making his debut for the club, hooked up with fellow centre Gareth Beavan, and Will Williams, Dan Dunmore and Mathew Edwards made up the back three.

Pill started the game strongly, forcing Aber to concede two penalties, which they slotted over, 6-0.

Aber’s new combinations began to settle down and were rewarded with a penalty, converted by Edwards, to leave the score 6-3 at half time.

The claret and ambers started the second half full of confidence and their pack were now on top, putting pressure on the Newport scrum and lineout.

The Aber pack disrupted a home side’s lineout and with good hands, full back Mathew Edwards scored a fine try which he also converted to give Aber a 6-10 lead.

An away victory looked on the cards for Aber, as they were defending the Pill attacks with ease. Youth products Jacob Butler and Ieuan Werrett came on as replacements along with veteran Paul Cornock.

With ten minutes left, number eight CJ Woodhouse was yellow carded and from the resulting penalty the home side kicked the ball deep into the Aber twenty two, and from the lineout drove the ball over to score a converted try and win the day by three points.

This Saturday Abergavenny are at home to Pontypool United and all are welcome back at the club to watch Wales’ eagerly awaited clash with England.