WRU East One

Nelson RFC 27 Abergavenny RFC 22

ABERGAVENNY travelled to Nelson on Saturday for their latest league fixture, but just missed out after a second-half fightback, reports COLIN EVANS.

The starting XV consisted of Dan Davies, Alfie Lewis, Eion Shackleton, Will Evans, Josh Hathaway, Callum Poole, Max Gregory, and Max Wiltshire in the forwards.

And Rhys Ferguson, Will Rees, Ben Evans, Lewis Prendergast, Tom Foley, Harry Leaver and Dale Price made up the backs.

Abergavenny began the game showing enterprise and a willingness to spread the ball around the field, but in the contact area and in the set piece they were coming off second best.

The much larger Nelson pack put the visitors under pressure at scrum-time and it wasn’t long until they opened the scoring with a pushover try to lead 5-0.

Further forward pressure resulted in two yellow cards for Abergavenny and another pushover try to put Nelson 10-0 up.

That was compounded when a poor defensive kick gifted Nelson possession, and from the counter-attack they scored a third try in the corner for a 15-0 half-time lead.

Abergavenny used their bench at the break, bringing on Dylan Edwards, Harvey Barrier, Matt Charles and Tom Powell, who is a very welcome returnee after a long-term injury.

The visitors began the half with a lot more energy and began to get a foothold in the game,

But from a line-out on halfway the Nelson fullback then found a gap in midfield to run in Nelson’s fourth try to take the game further away from Abergavenny at 22-0.

Having been bullied by the Nelson team for large parts of the game however, it was from this point that Aber rolled up their sleeves and began to put pressure on the home side.

From good build-up play, Lewis Prendergast darted in to score their first try, converted by Harvey Barrier for 22-7.

Nelson, recognising the threat, then secured possession deep in the Aber half and forced their way over to take the game away from the visitors again at 27-7.

But Gareth Beavan came on to offer some more experience in midfield, and Abergavenny then worked their way down into the Nelson 22 before Max Wiltshire forced his way over from a tap penalty for another try, closing the score to 27-12.

And with five minutes left, Ben Evans who had been an attacking threat all afternoon, cut through the Nelson defence to score under the posts, converted by Barrier, making it 27-19.

Abergavenny were now on the offensive, but the eight-point gap proved crucial, because when they were awarded a penalty close to the Nelson line in the last play of the game, the three-point penalty kick was the chosen option in order to gain a losing bonus point.

Elsewhere, Brynmawr lost out 30-20 at Aberdare in Championship East, four tries to three.

Brynmawr led early on after a powerful lineout set up a try, followed by a penalty for an 8-3 lead.

But the Snakes then struck back with three sensational tries in the space of 12 minutes just before the break.

Although Brynmawr narrowed the gap with a try from a driving maul after the restart, followed by a third try from a break down the wing and a clever inside pass, an Aberdare attack from deep inside their own 22 then secured another try and the win.

Blaenavon drew 25-25 away to Newport HSOB in E1 thanks to a late Dan Butler penalty kick.

But Usk lost 31-7 at Bettws in E2, and other results included Fleur de Lys 34 Nantyglo 3, Forgeside 48 Whitehead 22.

On Saturday Abergavenny visit Barry in the League 1 Cup, and other cup ties include St Peters v Brynmawr, Fleur De Lys v Nantyglo again, and Crickhowell v Treherbert.