PILL HARRIERS RFC 31 v 19 CWMBRAN RFC
We travelled down to Pill Harriers knowing that it was going to be a tough game but full of hope of getting a good result, the weather was not too good when we started and got progressively worse as the game went on.
Pill started aggressively, the game plan was to attack with force from the off, catching Cwmbran on the back foot and having to defend their line from the off, Five minutes in Pill had a lineout on the right hand side, ten metres out from the try line, as they drove for the line, Jacob Marsh went in with a low tackle and took an accidental knee to the top of his head knocking him out, the game was delayed for five minutes while Jacob received treatment on the field.
As the game resumed Cwmbran were still under pressure and after ten minutes, found themselves in a similar position, defending their five-metre line, on this occasion Pill crossed the line and with a converted try went 7 – 0 ahead.
The game went back and fore, although Cwmbran struggling for territory, where finding it hard to get out of their own half, after twenty minutes Pill were again on the attack driving over for another converted try to go further ahead, 14 – 0.
Cwmbran, now getting to grips with the Pill forwards, started to venture into the opposition half, and after a few phases on the Pill line, Tom Hopkins went over to score Cwmbran’s first try, converted by Aneurin Evans. 14 – 7.
Cwmbran had to remain strong as they defended another attack from Pill as the referee blew for half time.
Half Time 14 – 7.
As the second half started so the rain increased, making it slippery to both feet and hands.
Pill were quick out of the blocks again, pinning Cwmbran into their own twenty-two, after six minutes they had a line out on the right-hand side, a couple of passes into the in field and drive over for a converted try, 21 – 7.
Cwmbran started to venture into the Pill have, Pill turning the ball over would kick long and chase it down, on fifty-seven minutes this paid dividend for them as they chased the long kick, muscled the ball away from our defender and bundled over for another converted try, 28 – 7.
After a lot of ping pong with the ball going back and forth in the middle of the park, on the sixty-two-minute mark, Pill ten-metres inside the Cwmbran half kicked a beautiful drop goal, non 31 – 7 ahead.
Pill now with a substantial lead, defended their position by kicking the ball deep into the Cwmbran half on every occasion, on one of these occasions around the seventy minute mark, they kicked deep into the right side of the Cwmbran twenty two, caught by Will Graham, he passed to Aneurin Evans who set off on one of his mesmerising runs, went the length of the field to score on the left hand wing. 31 -12.
After thirty eight minutes, Cwmbran are awarded a penalty just inside the Pill half, quickly taken by Aneurin Evans he sprints up the field and after evading two tackles, he gets held five metres from the try line, Lewis Hopkins who had been shadowing the run, calls for the ball and goes over to score, converted by Aneurin Evans, 31 – 19.
Final Score 31 – 19
Tries
Tom Hopkins
Aneurin Evans
Lewis Hopkins
Conversions
Aneurin Evans (2)
We do keep on saying it, but Cwmbran do have a young team, it is clear we have the talent there, and with the on-field support of David Powell and Tom Hopkins who both put in fantastic shifts, we will get there. A shout out for Lewis Hopkins scoring on his return and Harry Hall who put in a great shift after coming on for Jacob Marsh.
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