Newport HSOB - 21

Abergavenny - 16

TRAVELLING to Newport in atrocious conditions Aber's game against HSOB had to be moved from the waterlogged first XV pitch to the narrower reserve pitch which favoured the heavier home pack.

Despite the sticky conditions both sides showed a willingness to move the ball and from the kick off, blind side flanker Sean Buck, gathered and drove 40 yards up field supported by second row Josh Hitchman, which clearly highlighted Aber's statement of intent from the forwards for the afternoon.

Aber's gathering momentum was derailed soon after when centre Stuart Davies made a dangerous tackle and was yellow carded.

Aber were forced to consolidate and after swapping penalty kicks the home side took advantage of the extra man. Newport exploited the full width of the field moving the ball from a scrum on Aber's 22 to the far wing. A pass inside to the supporting centre gave Newport a 8-3 lead.

This was followed soon after with the home side's second try, when they moved the ball to their wing who scored in the corner and converted from the touch line to give them a 15-3 lead.

The game was in danger of slipping away from the visitors but they got stuck in and dominated the remainder of the half in territory and possession but without any points to show for it.

The back row unit of Cornock, Buck and Captain Tom Rees were outstanding in the conditions and surely one of the most impressive back rows in the league. Alas, matches are won on points and kicking opportunities were not taken and a 15-3 score-line in Newport's favour gave Aber plenty to consider at the break.

The clarets put the home side under pressure from the restart and they conceded a number of penalties that were missed.

A penalty 10 yards out in front of the posts was seized upon by Stuart Davies whop tapped and ran. He was tackled on the line and Buck picked and drove for an unconverted try, 15-8.

A long range penalty to the home side at the restart pushed them further ahead, 18-8.

Aber's counter attacking style was being thwarted by the heavy conditions and the narrow pitch yet they continued to move the ball looking for opportunities. Wing Will Williams often the catalyst for tries weaved through the defence for 30 yards and fed Stuart Davies who slipped in the mud with the line at his mercy. From the resultant ruck on the line wing Ian Davies picked and drove over in the corner, 18-13.

The visitor's tails were up and Nathan Byrne came on as sub and immediately came close to scoring after inter-passing for 60 yards down the wing with centre Jack Flower only to have placed a foot in touch on the try line as he dived over. With both defences now giving nothing away, both kickers had an important say in the outcome. Opportunities were missed by the visitors who were now the dominant side yet found it difficult to score.

The definitive point of the game was reached with a five yard scrum under the home posts. Aber's pack were turning the screw and were awarded two successive penalties as the home pack buckled under the pressure of the visiting eight. The ref warned Newport that any further transgression would give a penalty try to the visitors.

At this point a home prop was taken off seemingly injured and with no other fit front row replacement the ref had to go to uncontested scrums at the very point where Aber are likely to have taken the lead.

This diluted their pressure and the attacking impetuous was lost.

With the game in its closing stages, Old Boys kicked another penalty from long range to take them two scores ahead. In the final action of the game scrum half Lewis Evans secured a bonus point with a penalty kick.

Aber were disappointed to return home with just a bonus point for their efforts and will have a break from the action this weekend to watch Wales v Argentina before returning to the fray to face Croesyceiliog and put things right.