Fixture

Abercarn did the double over neighbours Oakdale, running out winners by 28 points to 19. It was an enthralling encounter that first went one way then the other with neither side able to completely dominate the other. The home team were first on the scoreboard when Oakdale infringed from the kick-off and outside-half Jamie Baker duly kicked the three points. The first half hour was tightly contested but gradually the visitors’ heavier pack began to get the better of the scrums and possession. Abercarn were penalised for collapsing a scrum near their line and Oakdale’s’ scrum half caught the defenders napping by taking a quick tap and pounced over the whitewash for an unconverted try. The home side regained the lead when Baker kicked two penalties before, with the try line beckoning an Oakdale player knocked the ball on. Scrum-half Rhys Morgan collected the ball outpaced the defenders, passed to winger Aled Browne who fed centre Gareth Williams and he touched down under the posts. Baker’s conversion took the half time score to 16 points to 5.

Oakdale’s second try came from a kick ahead and the pack drove over to add the five points. Abercarn responded in emphatic style when minutes laterfollowing a driving maul centre Owen Coomer crashed over the line in the corner. They moved further ahead when Morgan collected the ball from a scrum, kicked the ball ahead which winger Browne collected and he ran strongly to score in the corner. Oakdale had the final say when following an excellent flowing move they scored a converted try. With such a growing injury list and a number of players being asked to play out of position, this was an excellent team performance, with good performances from full-back Jason Evans and wingers Aled Browne and Andrew Fraser. The man of the match award went to back rower Sean Higgins. Abercarn have six games left in the League and cannot afford any slip-ups in their push for promotion.