The Wizards hold on despite fight back as Jenkins stars

ABERAVON did just enough to keep RGC 1404 at bay and come up with the win that keeps them in the top four and well in the hunt for the Principality Premiership title.

The Aberavon forwards held the edge and they began to assert their authority after a scoreless opening quarter.

The pressure began to tell on RGC 1404 and their skipper Evan Yardley made an uncharacteristic error at a line-out against his former club.

His throw missed its intended target and found home flanker Joe TomalinReeves, who raced clear for the first score. Full back Chris Banfield converted as Aberavon took a lead that they never looked like relinquishing.

The second half opened with Aberavon racing downfield and creating a try for the outstanding loosehead prop Rowan Jenkins, but this time Banfield's conversion attempt struck a post.

RGC struggled to get any rhythm into their game against a superbly organised Aberavon defence and after 54 minutes Banfield increased the lead with a well-judged penalty shot.

Things only got worse for the visitors when they lost lock Bryn Jones to a yellow card.

But they continued to fight hard until the final whistle and three minutes from time the former Cape Town University student, replacement back Karl Martin, broke through to score a try at the posts that Billy McBryde converted.