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Match Report – Cwmcarn Away – 4th March 2017

Score : Cwmcarn Utd 17 v 12 Abersychan

Alexanders Scorers:

 - Tries: Deri King, Daniel Smith

 - Conversions: Casey Roomus

The rain had eased off by the time kick off came on Saturday for our away fixture to Cwmcarn, the pitch was heavy under foot, the type of mud which clings to everything, the ball included. Cwmcarn started the better of the two teams, they bought more intensity, being quicker to rucks and turning over a lot of ball. Cwmcarn built possession and territory, pinning the away team back with a strong kicking game.

 The ball was greasy and caked with mud, which lead to a lot of scrums but Aberyschan could not seem to get out of their own half. The pressure eventually told when a Cwmcarn line out ten meters out lead to a good driving maul, off the back of which one of their players crashed over from short range, running an excellent line to split the defence. The try was converted to leave the home team seven points to nil up.

The pattern of Cwmcarn pressure and lots of set pieces persisted throughout the rest of the first half, with Abersychan rarely getting out of their end of the field. Cwmcarn missed a penalty shot at goal which left the score at 7-0 at half time.

The second half started in much the same vein as the first, sustained pressure from Cwmcarn, through a series of set pieces and forward play. A line out on Abersychans 22m line gave Cwmcarn clean off the top ball out to the backs, good line speed in defence from the visitors lead to the ball being spilled and hacked through by Deri King, who then controlled the ball with good footballing skills and won the foot race to touch down for Abersychans first try of the match. The try was converted by Casey Roomus to level the scores at 7 all.

Shortly after the re start, a good kick from Cwmcarn left the ball 5m from Abersychans try line, two players went back for the ball which was unfortunately spilled due to the greasy conditions, opportunity favours the brave, Cwmcarn’s winger chased hard and pounced on the loose ball, claiming an opportunistic try. The conversion was made leaving the score 14 – 7 to the home side.

The unfortunate nature of the seemed to galvanise the away side, with Abersychan enjoying a period of sustained pressure of their own. The pressure eventually told with Mathew Donovan crossing the line for Abersychan after a good maul from a 10meter line out, Unfortunately the try was ruled out, by the referee, siting accidental offside and a 5m scrum was awarded to the visitors. The home side put pressure on the scrum, winning a penalty and clearing their lines. Soon later the visitors were back in Cwmcarn’s 22 winning another 5 meter scrum. The scrum was much better from Abersychan which laid a good platform for Daniel Smith to eventually cross the white wash leaving the score at 14 – 12 as the conversion was unfortunately pushed wide.

The last 10 minutes unfortunately saw the game break down into a mess of penalties and scrummages, tired bodies leading to errors and scrappy play. The ball stayed in the middle third of the field with no team really gaining the upper hand. Cwmcarn managed to gain some field position with the clock ticking away, and soon another penalty was conceded by Abersychan within kicking distance for the Cwmcarn place kicker, who duly slotted the penalty to move the home side 2 scores away. Though Abersychan fought hard in the remaining minutes, the clock was against them and they we unable to score again, the game finished Cwmcarn Utd 17, Abersychan Alexanders 12.