Sports 13 Aberavon Greenstars 76

Squad - N Townley, Coles, P Carter, R Rees, P Roberts, M Murphy, J Aitken, G Punter, J Lorimer, R Dowling, P John, M Harris, M Chapman, R Wallace, R Brewer, J Hostettler-Davies, J Bryant, M Blaney, M John

Aberavon returned to the top of Division 5 South Central with this convincing win over the Sports Club in driving rain at the Bandstand field.Aberavon's forwards were inspired by captain Darren Williams, and the threes by fellow coach and outside half Ryan Jones. They started the game at great pace and were creating overlaps from the outset due to the quick hands and thinking of Ryan Jones. After 5 minutes Dean Evans rounded the Sport defence to score a try that Jones converted.

 

Playing against the strong wind, the Sports were finding it difficult to get out of their 22 metre line and from maul 10 metres out the powerful Scott Pennell showed his class and why he has played in such higher divisions in the past. The kick failed. From another overlap left winger Richard Lewis made the score 0-17. Centre Rhodri Davies then picked up a loose ball after a Sports mistake to score his first try, converted by Jones, followed quickly by a second try for winger Richard Lewis again converted by Jones making it 0-31.


The Sports were tackling themselves to a standstill with Ryan Wallis, Gary Punter and Rhys Dowling trying to lift their side with outstanding commitment. They forced errors from the rampant Aberavon forwards and Nathan Townley took the points with a penalty against the wind. (3-31) Using the wind to their advantage Ryan Jones kept the Sports pinned back allowing hooker James Davies to drive over for the next try and following a handling error by the Sports Damien Adams made the half time score 3-43 to the visitors.

 

From the kick off the Sports lost the ball and Ryan Jones saw a gap on the blind side and cut through the defence to score under the posts. He converted. The Sports put on some pressure with the wind at their backs and forced an offside offence which Townley greatfully took the points 6-50. The tight side inexperience of the Sports was highlighted when scrum half Rhys Williams sniped over for an unconverted try. The wind then dropped and more rain made the conditions very bad, but the handling of all the Aberavon team was superb with the exception of Scott Pennell's second driving try the next two tries resulted in first class handling by forwards and backs.

 

Dean Evans chipped over the Sports defence and had the luck of the bounce to touch down then Rhodri Davies got his second after a well engineered movement from Ryan Jones. By this time the Sports were 'out on their feet'. Michael 'Mitch' John came on as a sub and it was fitting that he got the last try of the day for the Sports which Townley converted making the final score 13-76.

Man of the match was Ryan Jones who scored a fine try and converted eight. His generalship was a class act and this must make Aberavon with all their new players, favourites for this league.