WRU East One

Senghenydd 20 Abergavenny RFC 28

ABERGAVENNY RFC 1st XV travelled to Senghenydd on Saturday in their latest league encounter, and made it two wins from three in a tight encounter, reports COLIN EVANS.

The selected team consisted of Connor Davies, Liam Newton, Curtis Price, Will Evans, Callum Poole, James Trumper, Morgan King, Alex Howes, Rhob Connick, Rhys Jones, Ieuan Evans James Lewis, Rhys Ferguson, Lloyd Holder, Nathan Williams. 

In the first half Abergavenny played into a strong wind which would have a great bearing on how they needed to play the first half. 

Senghenydd kicked intelligently pushing Abergavenny back into their 22 for most of the first 20 minutes. 

And a penalty kick was converted before the hosts secured a try from close range in the corner to take an 8-0 lead.

Abergavenny’s attempts to kick their way out of defence proved fruitless in the strong wind so a different approach was required. 

Newton and Trumper began to carry the ball well and Callum Poole and Connor Davies drove the visitors up the field. 

The visitors kept the ball for many phases of play before King burst through the Senghenydd defence to score Abergavenny’s first try, converted by Rhys Jones. 

Senghenydd came back strongly putting the Abergavenny defence under intense pressure, but the visitors  made their tackles and kept knocking the hosts back to deny them a score. 

And towards the end of the first half Aber had a rare visit into the opposition half, and  won a penalty which Rhys Jones expertly converted into the strong wind to take a 10-8 lead going into half-time. 

With the elements in their favour after the interval, Abergavenny began confidently. 

An early penalty was converted by Jones to extend the lead to 13-8. 

But Senghenydd roared on by a passionate home crowd then produced the best try of the match, a flowing move between forwards and backs finished with their winger scoring in the corner to level the scores at 13-13. 

Matt Charles, Dan Anstey and Matt Hancock then came on to freshen up the forwards for the closing quarter of the game. And Abergavenny got back to their game plan and drove the hosts back into their half with the help of the wind. 

From an attacking phase Trumper ran a great line breaking the defence, and King was on hand for the pass to have a clear run in for his second try converted by Jones to make it 20-13.

A penalty won on halfway soon afterwards was superbly converted by Jones to extend the lead to 23-13. 

Senghenydd were straight back on the attack after a loose Abergavenny kick, and a flowing move ended with their fly half scoring a converted try under the posts to close the score to three points.

With two minutes left on the clock, Abergavenny kicked deep from the kick-off and pressurised the home defence.

And from turnover ball Anstey broke through for the visitors’ third try giving them an impressive away win in a tough encounter.

Next up, Abergavenny host derby rivals Brynmawr at Bailey Park this Saturday (September 23) in a mouth-watering WRU One Cup clash.Their visitors won again on Saturday 32-21 at Nelson, to make it three bonus point wins in three games to go top of WRU East One.

In the same division in another derby, Blaenavon agonisingly lost by a single point 20-19 at home to Pontypool United, leaving them winless three from the bottom with two losing bonus points.

Usk won 20-10 at home to Cwmbran in East Two to make it two wins from three, but Nantyglo lost out 8-3 at home to RTB Ebbw Vale in East Three.

Crickhowell secured their first league win 19-0 at Blackwood Stars in East Four, and Forgeside were handsome 37-8 winners over visitors Abersychan in East Five in their opening league game.

Other divisional cup fixtures this Saturday include – Mountain Ash v Blaenavon, Llanhilleth v Nantyglo, Crickhowell v Newport Saracens.