Abergavenny RFC - 26

Caldicot RFC - 17

ON a blustery autumn afternoon Caldicot returned to Bailey park to see if they could avenge their humiliating defeat the previous week.

Abergavenny were able to field a side showing only a few changes from the week before. Ieuan James, Jamie Knight and Matt Price formed the front row, Dan Morris returned to partner Dan Horler in the second row and John Hockey making his first start of the season came into the back row with Josh Davies and Rudi Lewis.

Ryan Joyce and Rhod Webster were at half back, Gareth Beavan came back into the centre with Matt Sevenoaks and Dan Dunmore, and Will Williams and Josh Parr made up the back three.

From the start of the game it was obvious that the visitors were a completely different proposition this week with a number of changes in key positions they took the game to Abergavenny right from the start, putting pressure on the home side for long periods.

When Abergavenny had the ball, Caldicot’s first up tackling was far better than last week and denied Abergavenny’s attackers any easy breakthroughs, but the home side showed good control and patience and were eventually rewarded with three penalties all kicked by by Rhodri Webster to give the home side a 9-0 lead.

The visitors now upped their game and came back at the home team and a couple of poor first up tackles allowed Caldicot’s prop to score a try close to the posts to bring them right back into the game.

Soon after the restart Abergavenny found themselves back under pressure and were penalised at a scrum and found themselves 9-10 down with halftime approaching.

The home team once again attacked the opposition’s line and were only denied a try by the away team giving away a penalty converted by Rhodri Webster to give Aber a 12-10 half time lead.

The home side started the second half with a bang, upping the tempo and going through phase after phase of good controlled rugby, stretching the away team’s defences.

Eventually Aber were awarded a scrum close to the line and number eight Josh Davies picked up and put Ryan Joyce in for a converted try.

Straight from the restart the home team we’re back on the attack with all of the team keen to get their hands on the ball and now playing some entertaining rugby which eventually resulted in Dan Horler touching down for a converted try giving Abergavenny a 26-10 lead.

The home side now rung the changes with replacements Dan Beavan, Nathan Byrne, Gareth Williams and Rhob Connick entering the fray along with Mathew Collins who returned to first team duty after coming out of retirement this season.

To be fair to Caldicot they still did not give up trying to get something out of the game and had the last score of the afternoon when their burly centre crashed over to give them a converted try and make it 26-17.

Next week Aber travel to Abercarn in the league and the week after return home to meet west Wales side Crymych in the Welsh plate.