Fixture

Aberystwyth RFC beat Penclawdd RFC 17 – 13 on the road in their Admiral National League 1 West match on Saturday.

On a cold, wet, blustery afternoon near Llanelli, Aber struggled to play their usual, open flowing rugby in difficult conditions. Aber created good scoring chances but lacked that final clinical precision to put more points on the board.

Aber’s slow start to games continued, with Penclawdd winning an early scrum and putting in a good 50:22 kick. Quick lineout ball allowed Penclawdd’s Rhys Easton to score an unconverted try.

Aber were soon pinned back in their own half, conceding penalties. The visitors cleared their lines well, but more infringements saw the hosts tapping penalties on Aber’s try line. Unable to score due to good Aber defence, Penclawdd converted a penalty into points.

Aber started to gain possession from lineouts and solid ruck ball, kicking penalties into touch. Clean lineout ball deep in Penclawdd’s 22 metres resulted in a maul and rucks putting Iestyn Thomas in from close range for a try converted by Dylan Benjamin.

The visitors were soon back on the front foot with good scrummaging. A series of Aber rucks 10 metres out from Penclawdd’s try line, and quick ball, released Paul Stubbs to score an unconverted try. Flowing play was disrupted by numerous penalties conceded by both sides. Aber pushed deep into Penclawdd territory, but a rolling maul was held up over the host’s try line, and the visitors failed to score from the resulting scrum and rucks. Despite line breaks by both sides in midfield, neither side scored again before half time.

Half time score: Penclawdd 8  Aberystwyth 12.

Second half penalties to Penclawdd were converted into territory, but Aber cleared well. A Penclawdd lineout on Aber’s 22 metres set up rucks for their winger Ellis Williams to score an unconverted try.

Aber were quickly back close to the hosts’ try line, with penalty kicks, and quick ball from an Aber ruck 5 metres out was passed along the backs for winger Dafydd Llyr Hywel to score an unconverted try. Conditions were now deteriorating with driving rain. Both sides were unable to convert territorial advantage into points due to knock-ons.

Aber’s full back Harri Gwynn Jones was called upon to make several try saving tackles from Penclawdd line breaks. Aber finished strongly with breaks by Lee Evans and Carwyn Evans (playing his 200^th game for Aber), but conceded penalties to allow pressure to be relieved. The game ended in stalemate with a contest for possession in midfield.

Aber stay top of the table with an away win in difficult conditions. Good teamwork put them in several try scoring positions, but they could not convert this into points, lacking clinical precision at critical times.

Match Report: Graham Harris
Photo: Mike Binks