Abergavenny RFC - 16

Talywain RFC - 17

ABERGAVENNY'S 16 point second-half lead against a newly promoted Talywain side counted for nothing as the visitors turned the tables to win the game by one point and leave the claret and ambers ruminating on the nature of deja vu and what might have been.

In contrast to last week the Bailey Park pack faced much sterner opposition particularly in the scrum where the visitors presented a much bigger test.

The home side made a very enthusiastic start pegging the visitors deep in their half and after five minutes went ahead with a penalty on the edge of the 22 by outside half Rhodri Webster, 3-0.

From a free kick deep in their half Talywain chose to run the ball and run into experienced Hooker Gareth Williams who timed his tackle on the recipient of a pass perfectly. The ball was dislodged and fell into the arms of number eight Paul Cornock, who out-paced three Talywain backs to the line for the game's first try, 8-0.

The visitors picked up the pace at the restart releasing the ball out of contact to support runners testing Aber's defence. The home side re-gathered their composure and forced the play again deep into the visitors 22 during where both scrum halves were dispatched with a yellow card for a disagreement off the ball.

From the scrum restart, Will Williams who lights up the crowd every time he touches the ball with his running from deep made it 13-0 going into the interval.

Aber began the restart with a balanced attack and early pressure brought a penalty converted from close range by Webster to give a 16 point lead.

This stung the visitors into action and with the assistance a mountain of a man at number eight brought on from the bench, they focused on driving the ball to the corners and seeking close contact from a series of scrums. The tactic paid dividends and after a number of scrums Talywain scored from a push over try, 16-5.

There was still 25 minutes left to play and Aber took the game to a more confident Talywain outfit but a stray pass 10 yards in front of the visitor's posts was dropped and seized upon by a centre who fed the wing who ran in from 80 yards for a converted try to bring Talywain right back into the mix, 16-12.

It was becoming a case of deja vu for Aber who had been in a match winning position on several occasions this season but failed to close the game out and secure victory.

Talywain brought their heavy forwards back into play with short drives. It was clear that they wanted to get down in the home 22 where their powerful scrum could make the difference. With only ten minutes to play both sides had players yellow carded for more off the ball wrestling that wore the ref's patience.

Indiscipline was creeping into the game and the visitors lost their outside half to a yellow after a comment to the ref. It could now only be Aber's game to lose. Time and again the visitors had been thwarted from encamping in Aber's 22. On each occasion the ball was cleared but the visitors stole the ball back.

With two minutes on the clock further indiscipline saw a red card being shown this time for fighting to the home side's lock Rhys Willard, who had been tireless in defence throughout the game.

The sides each had 14 players on the park but Aber were a man down in the pack.

A series of penalties against the home side within their 22 through desperate defence gave the impetuous again to Talywain and using their forward platform opted for scrums and in the last move of the game manufactured a try from short range to snatch a 16-17 victory.

Aber will have a second bite at Talywain on Saturday October 27 as they have drawn them in the first round of the Swalec Plate at Bailey Park.