Abergavenny RFC - 5

Caerphilly RFC - 13

IN atrocious conditions, Aber were undone by Caerphilly at Bailey park as the visitors appeared much more comfortable than the clarets when it came to playing in the mud.

Due to injuries and unavailability Aber were unable to field any regular second rows, so prop forwards Frank James and Nathan Harris were forced into emergency duties in the boiler house.

The visitors seemed to revel in the atrocious conditions and put Abergavenny under serious pressure right from the start.

The Caerphilly scrum was surprisingly dominant in the first ten minutes and from a scrum ten metres from the Aber line the Caerphilly number eight picked up and drove over for a converted try.

It was not long before Caerphilly were on the attack again and they were awarded a penalty for a technical infringement which they converted to give them a ten point lead in as many minutes.

This seemed to stir the Abergavenny side into life and for the rest of the first half they were camped in Caerphilly's territory, and from a lineout five yards from the Caerphilly line captain Paul Cornock drove over for a try to leave the score 10-5 to the visitors at half time.

Conditions were now more suitable for mud wrestling than rugby and with Aber playing down the slope they appeared to be gaining the upper hand.

After some strong bursts up the centre from Gareth Beavan and Dan Smith, Abergavenny worked themselves into a good attacking position and were awarded a scrum five metres out.

Abergavenny's forwards started to drive the Caerphilly scrummage back over their own line but both front rows stood up and to the surprise of the players and supporters the referee awarded a penalty to Caerphilly and gave the Abergavenny hooker a yellow card.

The clarets accepted this decision and were back on the attack straight away and worked hard to win another five metre scrum.

It was a case of Déjà vu as the Caerphilly scrum was shunted back towards their try line as the front rows once again stood up.

Yet to the astonishment of everybody ay Bailey Park, the referee awarded the visitors another penalty and the replacement Aber hooker received a yellow card.

Caerphilly then had brief foray in the Abergavenny half where they were awarded a penalty which was converted by their outside half to increase the cheesemen's lead to 13-5

The weather and the dubious decision by the referee who insisted on the scrums going passive. finished the game as a contest.

As the light faded and the rain fell the referee blew the final whistle on a disappointing game for Abergavenny but full marks to both sides for trying to entertain the large crowd in probably the worst conditions seen at Bailey Park for many years.

Abergavenny's match sponsor was Border Bobcats (Huw Edwards) who were unable to pick a man of the match for they felt that everyone on the park that afternoon deserved a medal.

Next week Abergavenny are away to Brynmawr with a 2.30pm kick off.