Development Game

GWERNYFED ATHLETIC 31  TREDEGAR IRONSIDES 5

With league opposition crying off, Gwernyfed Fixture Secretary Ian Hill got to work to provide both opposition and that rarest of commodities, a referee. As usual the Llanfilo man came up trumps. Tredegar Ironsides had also been let down by their league opposition and were keen to travel, Excellent ref Jeremy Parsons from Abercarn agreed to give up his afternoon and all was set to give Gwernyfed’s Athletic XV a chance to build upon their great start to the season.

The visitors took the green, white and blacks to be an inexperienced outfit and tried to bully their way to the line in the first ten minutes. They got no change from a determined defence, B & R Senedd Member James Evans, youngster Owen Workman and flanker Sam Clegg prominent in the tackle area. Behind, speedsters Sean Waldeck, Ieuan Thomas and Matthew Price showed the Tredegar outfit what was to come with both fllet foot and great handling.

The opening score after fifteen minutes was a function of the pressure put on the home pack with the likes of Rhys Mills and Jamie Coles out-muscling and out-thinking the opposition. When the five points came it was courtesy of a maul, Workman and Evans again prominent to helping Kyle Davies over the whitewash. Veteran fly-half Gareth Dodd converted.

By the twenty-minute mark pressure was beginning to tell. The speed of ball delivery at the ruck and scrum half Luke Eckley’s quick causing consternation in the defensive ranks. Tries were inevitable and both Eckley and centre Tom Morgan responded when the opportunities arose, Dodd adding two points to see the home side turn around with a nineteen point lead.

The second period was dominated by Gwernyfed, fresh legs coming on at regular intervals to add to the visitors’ problems. A second Morgan try extended the lead and then a cameo run from Dodd, beating six defenders with a 35 metre mazey run from the halfway line, found replacement Darren Roe in his elbow to complete a stunning move. Both men have waved good bye to their thirties, but neither shows any sign of being other than vital and enthusiastic cogs in the Gwernyfed make-up.

In spite of the fact that the visitors never gave up and were finally rewarded with a very late, consolation, try, this was a good work-out, showing that there is plenty of talent and depth at Trefecca Road. Next weekend’s tests see the First XV hosting New Tredegar with the Athletic visiting Newport HSOB before Wales take on Portugal later in the afternoon – hopefully three wins!