DIVISION 3 WEST CENTRAL C

CEFN CRIBWR ............ 17 PONTRHYDYFEN ......... 5

THIS top-of-the-table clash turned out to be exactly that with a war of attrition up front that Cefn managed to get the edge from early on.

Cefn lost two key players early on in powerful prop Steve Potts, and lock Simon Tame.

Pontrhydyfen then started to take advantage, playing to the corners when their pack got clean possession.

They had a very good spell, winning lots of lineout ball, and offloading to players on the peel. The visitors eventually broke the Cefn line with a series of pick up and drives to go into a 5-0 lead.

It was then Cefn’s time to turn the screw, with back rower Richie Cowans making some powerful runs. Eventually, it was quick hands from scrum half Lee Rogers and veteran Steve Gillard that put skipper and centre Owen Davies over in the corner. The conversion went wide and the sides were level at half time.

Cefn came out of the blocks quicker in the second half and made the most of their possession, but failed to convert two penalty opportunities, and the scores remained level throughout most of the second half until Cefn flanker Luke Donne eventually broke the Pont defence from close range for a well taken converted try.

With the arm wrestling up front still going deep into the second half, Cefn eventually released their backs with five minutes to go. A fine cross field kick by Jac Briggs saw full back Adam Lloyd take a difficult ball and scamper over for an excellent try that Owen Davies converted.

Hooker Steve Hicks and ‘ super sub’ Gillard were a constant thorn in the side of the opposition at the breakdown with back rower Richie Cowans constantly feeding off their endeavours but it was his fellow back rower Luke Donne, in only his first call up of the season putting in an all action display in a Man-of-theMatch performance.