WRU Division 4 East Central

TREHERBERT 34  GWERNYFED 13

Treherbert’s ground, ‘The Cage’, offers an ominous welcome painted on to one of the walls surrounding the pitch – ‘Welcome to Hell’ goes the promise. Gwernyfed have never enjoyed success after the trip over The Rhigos and whilst the threat of damnation was not delivered, James Brute’s men were beaten by a mature, physical side.

From the start, the hosts piled in and it was not long before they had converted their superiority in the tight to points with a try on the right. Gwernyfed ran the ball back and incursions by Rhodri Williams and Tom Morgan caused the application of robust defensive measures which were eventually penalised, allowing Will Lloyd to reduce the arrears with a penalty.

Gwernyfed were right to be aggrieved by having their task made even harder by imposition of a series of largely inexplicable penalties for offences that left the visiting support scratching their heads. Treherbert took full advantage by adding a second try from a rolling maul and though Lloyd again chipped away at the lead with a three-pointer, The green, white and black task became even harder when influential players Tom Morgan and Sam Stephens were injured in a collision. Both had to retire from duty.

The stream of penalties flowed on with the hosts taking full advantage to extend the lead by three points and then go out of sight with two converted tries before the break.

In true Gwernyfed style, the Talgarth men, weakened by injury, gave of their all, a number of players prominent, Zac Snape, front rowers Nicholls, Parry and Brute and replacement Luke Eckley. It was Eckley who added a touch of respectability to the scoreline when taking a quick tap penalty near to the line caused the defence to pull him down within a metre of the restart point, the outcome a penalty try which cancelled out an earlier seven pointer for Treherbert and made second half honours even.

It's been a torrid start to the season for Gwernyfed with the impact of injury when faced with four away games against sides vying for honours. Next weekend sees some respite when the green, white and blacks welcome Nantyglo in the WRU Plate. Coaches Roberts and Reynolds will be looking to use the game to re-set the season’s league campaign.

While the First XV had a less than successful afternoon, at the bottom of the Valley Gwernyfed’s Youth XV visited Sardis Road in the Cardiff North Cup, a tie earned by victories over Brecon, Merthyr Tydfil and Builth Wells Youth XVs in the preliminary rounds. The young green, white and blacks responded to the honour of playing at The House of Pain by returning to Talgarth with a 33-6 victory under their belts. Coaches Richard Davies and Rob Morris were delighted with the performance – if less impressed by the noise in the bus on the way back up the A470!