GOGS SPELL LOSS FOR SAD WIZARDS
ABERAVON fell to their third successive defeat in the Indigo Premiership to drop to third in the table after losing in a thrilling game in which the lead changed hands now fewer than four times.
To add insult to injury, Jason Hyatt’s men saw RGC outside half Dion Jones kick an added time penalty that took away a losing bonus point for the visitors.
After six successive bonus-point victories at the start of the season, the Wizards have lost a bit of their magic and now find themselves trailing the reigning champions, Cardiff, by six points having played an extra game. They host Steve Law’s Blue & Blacks in their next league game.
The Gogs were awarded a penalty try to open the scoring after Steff Andrews, celebrating his 200th appearance, was caught deliberately knocking on a try scoring pass. That gave the home side the lead and left the Wizards a man short after Andrews saw yellow.
Aled Thomas cut the gap with the first of his successful kicks, but back came the home side with a try from flying wing Rhys Tudor that Jones converted. Aberavon cut the gap to four points at the break after Thomas added the extras to their first try.
The second half was full of cut and thrust with Thomas kicking two more penalties to edge his side ahead for the first time at 16-14. Jones made it 17-16 shortly after before RGC lost Jesse Williams to the sinbin and Aberavon immediately took advantage to grab a second try, with scrum half Rhodri Cole this time converting.
Back came the Gogs with their third try via Theo Mayell, set up by some neat approach work from the back line, and Jones’ latest conversion made it fourth change of lead in the second half alone.
Mayell then finished off a forward drive to grab his second try, with Jones once again adding the extras.
One more penalty apiece brought the scoring to an end, with Jones’ final kick taking away the bonus-point from the visitors as the home outside half ended with 12 points.
Hyatt will now have to hope that his already long injury list doesn’t get any bigger as he tries to put a halt to the recent slide in results of his team.