Gwernyfed - 22

THE clarets bowed out of the 2012/13 season with a bang as they brought the curtain down with a resounding victory against Gwernyfed.

Due to absentees and injuries Aber were unable to field a competitive front row therefore uncontested scrums were the order of the day. This promised a higher tempo game. A light weight mobile front five gave Aber the edge in moving the ball around but posed dangers in the tight against a heavier pack.

Josh Hitchman and youth captain Josh Davies, who started his first game for the senior side, played props and Louigi Ocampo played hooker. Dan Horler and Dan Anstey came on as locks and the back row of Captain Tom Rees, Sean Buck and Paul Cornock had a familiar feel about it.

John Owen played scrum half with Rhodri Webster at outside half. Centres saw Dan Smith and 12 with Stuart Davies at 13. Sean Jones and Ian Davies took to the wings with Will Williams at full back.

It was an ominous start for the home side who conceded a try within the first two minutes from a simple passing move by the visitors the backs ghosted through the Aber defence to score in the corner, 0-5.

Aber responded immediately with a penalty kick from Rhodri Webster, 3-5.

The visitors scored again from a lineout on half way. They took, drove and rolled the ball all the way to Abers try line as Aber without a strong tight five struggled to cope with this power, 3-10.

Aber responded immediately. From a ruck five yards from the visitors line the ball was fed to Stuart Davies who drove at the heart of the defence and gave an audacious back flip pass outside where it was collected by prop Josh Hitchman to cross uncontested, 8-10.

Within two minutes of the restart Aber took the lead for the first time in the game with a kick ahead from Jon Owen, a deflection fell nicely for Will Williams who was chasing the intended long kick. He sidestepped the last defender to score beneath the posts converted by Webster, 15-10.A last gasp penalty attempt from Gwernyfed rebounded from the post to keep Aber ahead at the break.

The second half saw Aber extend their lead further when the visitors played into Aber's hands kicking long to their back three. Will Williams launched a trademark attack with searing pace cutting through the advancing Gwernyfed defence. He found Stuart Davies on his outside and he in turn fed wing Ian Davies with a deft offload to put him clear to score in the corner, 20-10.

From the restart the ball was gathered by Josh Hitchman and taken on by Sean Buck and fed out to Will Williams who again came into the line and left the defence standing and fed Stuart Davies on his shoulder to canter in for an important fourth try that broke the visitor's hearts. This was converted by Webster for a 27-10 lead.

Gwernyfed resorted to type and their forwards did what they do best, pick and drive. Eventually a driving maul saw them trundle over for a try which was converted to bring them back into the game 27-17.

In Will Williams, Aber possess a player who can create something out of nothing. He received the ball just outside his 22 with four defenders bearing down on him. He ducked and dived and stepped his way through all four and the pitch opened up to his mercy. He then stepped inside a fifth before releasing Ian Davies who had sprinted up in support. His reward was a clear run to the line for his second try of the match converted by Webster, 34-17.

A Penalty for offside in the visitors 22 was too tempting to resist and Webster added another three points, 37-17.

At the death the visitors scored a consolation try predictably from a series of driving mauls close to the Aber try line. A very entertaining game ended 37-22 lifting Aber to end the season mid table.

Coach Howard Davies said, "Front row injury resulted in having to start with passive scrums, which left us without substitutes. The whole 15 played intelligently and with passion; our pack out-thought the Gwernyfed eight, possibly the best pack in the Division, this released the pace we had behind, which was too much for them.

"We have struggled with player availability all season and have had to use players from the whole senior squad and youth. These players have consistently stepped up to the challenge and they should be congratulated for that."