WRU Division 4 Central East

GWERNYFED 27   CAERAU ELY 21

On a great day for rugby in front of a good crowd, James Brute’s Gwernyfed outfit entertained title challengers Caerau Ely. Having despatched several sides with eyes upon the top at The Brian Jones Memorial Field this term, the green, white and blacks sustained the trend and sent the highly-fancied side back down the A470 with their tails firmly between their legs.

In spite of the lengthy injury list, the Talgarth outfit took the game to the visitors from the outset. Good tactical kicking from half backs Gerwyn Williams and Zack Snape guaranteed good filed position and when a line out ten metres out offered opportunity, Brute’s side needed no second invitation. The ever-reliable Sam Stephens plucked the ball out of the air and the pack, locks Richard East and Will Eckley prominent, propelled the maul over the line with Cellan Skyrme applying the coup de grace. Williams added the conversion to open up a seven-point lead after only five minutes.

Careau Ely are nothing if not robust and resilient. They took the game back to Gwernyfed and laid siege to the home line for twenty minutes. The Cardiff men got their reward by way of two unconverted tries to open up a three-point lead. However, Brute rallied his troops and opened up a front which saw back rowers Lloyd Rees and Kyle Davies and hooker James Holmes-Powell making inroads and full back Will Lloyd’s incursions gaining hard yards. The product was a platform for the pack to sustain pressure on the visitors’ line, that pressure converted to points when skipper Brute ploughed over to give the green, white and blacks a narrow lead at the break.

The second period saw Gwernyfed on the front foot courtesy of some speedy movement from the backs where centres Tom Morgan and Rhodri Williams troubled their opposite numbers throughout. When Lloyd released Morgan thirty metres out on the left, the Llandefalle man looked odds on to score but was halted by some excellent defence which nonetheless saw Morgan pop the ball up for Jack Williams to finish the task.

A series of attacks intent upon extending the lead were repulsed, but once again the backs did the work with scrum half Gerwyn Williams intent upon delivering quick ball. Fly half Snape gave Morgan space and opportunity which took the green, white and blacks deep into opposition territory. At the breakdown a quick ruck saw Williams spread the ball which went along the line to Will Powell who made no mistake.

Caerau Ely never gave up and reduced the arrears with a try down the left wing, Williams replying with a long-range penalty, the visitors adding the last points with a penalty of their own just before the final whistle. An excellent victory for an injury-hit outfit.

Next weekend offers the nearest Gwernyfed have to a local derby when they visit old friends Cefn Coed for the last journey of the season. Travels this term have been long and unrewarding and Brute and his men will want to change that as the campaign nears its end, two more home games against Ynysowen and Wattstown completing the fixture list.