DRAGONS ATHLETIC LEAGUE

GWERNYFED ATHLETIC 34  NELSON NOMADS 24 

With the senior fifteen sidelined when opponents Crumlin cried off at the last minute, it was left to Jamie Coles’s Athletic side to entertain a healthy crowd at The Brian Jones Memorial Field. The young side enjoyed being in the spotlight, responding with six tries, five points and some exhilarating rugby.

It didn’t start well. Nelson enjoyed a flying start, opening up a seven-point lead within two minutes of the start. However, while the Taff Valley side were an ever-present threat courtesy of threequarters of some stature, the green, white and blacks were quicker of foot and of thought and when effervescent hooker Danny Lewis touched down to allow Gareth Dodd to put the equalising conversion, the result was never in doubt.

Nelson manned the barricades throughout the second quarter and it took a driving maul to split the defence, Lewis again aware of events, separating from the back of the maul to outsmart the defence, Dodd adding the afters. In a rare excursion upfield the dogged visitors landed a penalty and then scored a try after a series of skirmishes near to the line, meaning that at half-time, much against the run of play, Nelson led by three points.

The lead was rapidly overhauled from the restart, rumbustious number eight Rhys Pryce causing havoc in the defence, his progress being halted only releasing the back line with Jack ‘Sol’ Williams taking the honours.

Coach Alun Phillips put on new legs and it was replacement Mark Gwynne whose strength took him over to secure the four try bonus. The visitors were tiring in the face of a fit green, white and black outfit with a strong bench and when another Rhys Price drive allowed Jack Williams space on the right, he timed the final pass to perfection, livewire winger Matty Price doing the rest.

The sixth try was a real team effort, Dodd directing the traffic that involved the ball passing through several pairs of hands before Johnny Rees plunged over out wide. Nelson never gave up and scored last minute consolation try, but the honours and the points went the way of outstanding skipper Jamie Coles and a young side with a number of players promoting their case for a First XV place.



The Athletic travel to Hereford RFC for a friendly on Friday evening before the senior XV welcome Llandaff North to Trefecca Road in the WRU Cup on Saturday next.