Caerphilly - 27

BUOYANT and breezy after a drubbing of local rivals Brynmawr, Abergavenny sailed into Caerphilly in a confident mood despite being short of a number of first team regulars.

Hooker Gareth Williams and try scoring ace Ian Davies were unavailable as was influential Centre Stuart Davies who had injured an ankle last week.

Aber received the kick off and went through an impressive phase of ball retention taking the ball deep into the home side's half before outside half Rhodri Webster dispatched a penalty to take an early lead.

Aber continued their early dominance particularly in the scrum where the home side had no answer for the power of the Abergavenny eight. It was from a line out in the home 22 from which Aber attacked with Willard providing good clean ball in the middle. The ball found outside centre Jack Flower who beat three defenders with a mazy run to score under the post converted by Webster for a 0-10 lead.

Within ten minutes the home side responded with a converted try and a penalty to tie the score 10-10.

Poor man marking then allowed Caerphilly to take a 17-10 lead from a five yard lineout.

From the restart Aber forced a penalty and from the resultant lineout Sean Buck span off attacking the tail. He popped the ball up to number eight Paul Cornock who bulldozed his way over from five yards for a try converted by Webster to make it 17-17 at half-time.

Early in the second half Aber were reduced to 14 men after full back Ryan Williams received a yellow card for a high tackle. The visitors were forced to consolidate and took the game into Caerphilly's half. The scrum dominance was increasing with penalties being awarded in favour of Aber. One was within five yards in front of the posts but with the scores tied the kick was spurned in favour of another dominant scrum.

A penalty was awarded to Caerphilly as Aber drove within feet of the line, the ref alleging Cornock had lost control of the ball and the attacking scrum half was obstructed as he lawfully tried to gather.

This confounded and frustrated the visitors. The referee's interpretation of scrums further angered the visitors whose dominance and the home side's capitulation in this area led to concerns of collapsing scrums. The lineouts were somewhat of a lottery for Aber with inaccuracy gifting possession away.

Against the run of play the home side manufactured a try to give them a 24-17 lead with ten minutes to go.

Some fine place kicking for territory by outside half Webster gave Aber attacking impetuous but salvation seemed to arrive from broken play in the shape of Will Williams who gathered on his ten yard line and attacked the open spaces with his blistering pace. 

Beating several defenders he carried to the home 22 and passed inside to Rob Flower who scored his second try. Webster converted to level the scores for the third time.

With minutes to go Aber's eager defence strayed offside to give Caerphilly the kicking opportunity they needed, and took, with a penalty to edge the home team in front, 27-24.

Aber looked likely to score when a lineout provided their forwards with one last chance to secure and drive, yet to the disbelief of the Aber players, wing Josh Guy's try was disallowed because the ref adjudged he was part of the ruck and had illegally handled the ball.

Caerphilly were awarded the penalty and cleared clear for the final whistle.

Despite securing a bonus point in defeat Aber will be disappointed and frustrated they did not get more out of a game they had the opportunity and ability to win comfortably.

Next week they seek salvation against newly promoted Talywain at Bailey Park, kick off is at 2.30pm and Aber are sure to be hungry to make amends.