Abergavenny -17

Croesyceiliog -12

HOT on the heels of a two week break, Aber returned to the fray with a victory after putting basement dwellers Croesyceiliog to the sword in a tightly fought encounter.

The suspension of towering lock forward Rhys Willard saw a very compact front five, with Frank James dropping back to lock from front row duties and partnering Josh Hitchman in the engine room. What they lacked in height they made up in power and gave the visitors an uncomfortable afternoon in the scrum driving them off their own ball and winning their own with ease. Sean Buck deputised admirably as main jumper to secure a stream of line out ball.

Despite a glut of possession Aber's discipline has let them down on occasions throughout the season making hard work of matches they should comfortably win. This game was no different.

It was the visitors who caught Aber cold, scoring within two minutes of the kick off after a line out five yards from the home try line led to a deft chip into the corner which was grounded by the Croesy winger. A long conversion from the touch line made it 0-7 to the visitors.

Aber's dominance of the pack in the tight saw them drive the ball deep into the visitors 22 where Captain Tom Rees wriggled over from 10 yards through a crowded defence. The conversion by scrum half Lewis Evans levelled the scores, 7-7.

During a subsequent Aber attack, indiscipline reared its ugly head and although both sides were punished heavily by the ref, it was Aber who were disadvantaged most when their full back Ryan Williams was shown the red card.

Despite being a man and two backs down Aber did not concede further before the break and took the lead via another Evans penalty kick to make 10-7, which the pack and particularly the front row of Brian Wright, Gareth Williams and Owen Staphnill deserve the credit for.

At the beginning of the second half Aber conceded a soft try from a line out five yards out. With no one guarding the blind-side, a floated pass allowed their scrum half to score in the corner, 10-12.

The visitors doubled their efforts realising with a little more possession they could stretch their hosts who were a man short. The back row of Buck, Rees and number eight Paul Cornock put in a number of mighty tackles to help clear the lines before the pack could again regain some superiority in the tight.

A 70 yard burst from centre Stuart Davies was thwarted five yards from the try line after he knocked the ball on as it slipped from his grasp after handing off the last defender.

Salvation came in the shape of second row Josh Hitchman whose veracious appetite and stamina throughout was rewarded with a try after the pack took and drove 15 yards from a line out to within five yards of the visitors' line. Hitchman peeled off and drove over for a try converted by Evans, 17-12.

Some stoic defence in the final five minutes secured an against the odds victory for Aber who consolidated their mid table status.

With Wales entertaining the All Blacks next Saturday Aber have no league fixture but they are at home in a floodlit friendly game on Friday evening against a Monmouthshire XV selected from Gwent sides in the SWALEC leagues. Kick off is at 7.15pm. 

All proceeds from this match will be dedicated to Steve Coles. Steve had played for Abergavenny for several seasons as a powerful second row forward and in January this year suffered a serious back injury playing for Abergavenny away at Croesyceiliog. He has been hospitalised since but is now making a slow recovery thanks to his determination and the skills of the NHS staff.