Abergavenny RFC - 7

Blaenavon RFC - 12

WHEN League leaders Blaenavon visited Bailey Park on Saturday, Abergavenny were expecting a tough and physical battle, and that's exactly what they got.

Abergavenny's side had a familiar look about it with the only change in the pack being Frank James replacing Rob Lothian at tight head. Stuart Davies and Lewis Evans returned to the backs replacing the injured Wil Williams and the unavailable Jack Bruten.

Blaenavon started the game in confident mood and looked every inch a side who were nine points clear at the top of the table. The Blav put the clarets under severe pressure for the first ten minutes of the game.

Blaenavon threw everything into attack and several close range lineouts and five metre scrums were well defended by Aber's pack, who with a lot of grunt and groan managed to push Blaenavon out of their 22.

It was from a scrum on the clarets' ten yard line that Blaenavon executed a well-rehearsed set play for their inside centre Nathan Preece to take a good line and go over unopposed to score a try.

The visitors continued to pressurize Abergavenny and forced a mismatch in mid field. A move started by Scott Creese was carried on by Horseman, Noble, Preece and full back Pearce to put Dennington over in the corner. Pearce converted from the touchline to give Blaenavon a 12-0 lead.

From the restart Abergavenny seemed to pick up the pace of the game and started to pressurize the Blaenavon defence. If the first 20 minutes of the game belonged to Blaenavon then the second 20 belonged to the home side. Genny spent the rest of the first half camped in the Blaenavon 22 but remained pointless. The half time whistle blew with two penalty goals missed and several half chances not taken.

In the second half Abergavenny were playing down towards the clubhouse with the wind in their backs and took every opportunity to attack the Blaenavon line. The young back three of Rob Morgan, Dan Dunmore and Gareth Beavan possessed plenty of confidence to run the ball back at the visitors.

Midway through the second half Blaenavon had another purple patch and camped on the Abergavenny line for what seemed like an eternity. Only plenty of determination and guts from Aber prevented the Blav from getting a further score .

This great defensive effort seemed to give the Clarets more confidence and for the last ten minutes of the game they put league leaders Blaenavon under severe pressure.

After several five metre scrummages which saw the Abergavenny pack shunting the Blaenavon scrum backwards, the referee awarded Aber a penalty try which was converted by Rhodri Webster to leave the final score Blaenavon 12 – 7.

This was another good team performance from Aber and both sets of supporters agreed it was a cracking local derby to watch.

ENDS