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Gwernyfed (15) v  Garndiffaith (28)

Gwernyfed entertained Division 3 East leaders Garndiffaith in a Swalec Plate match and the visitors returned to Gwent with a 28 points to 15 win, registering three tries to the two scored by the home side. Following two early penalties by the ‘Garn’ to one by Gwernyfed, the latter went into the lead in the 12th minute when a good move from the base of the scrum saw right wing Huw Wright cross unopposed for an unconverted try. However, Garndiffaith returned the compliment within a minute when a good run by their fullback, allied to a couple of missed tackles by the home defence, lead to a converted try.

Meanwhile, Gwernyfed Athletic recorded an excellent home win, by 11 points to nil, against league leaders Monmouth Druids in the Newport & Pontypool WRU 2nds League. In an excellent team performance, prop Anthony Workman scored the only try of the game and this was supplemented by two Josh Griffiths penalties. Having earned the most number of bonus points in the league, following a string of narrow defeats, this result was an appropriate reward for the sterling work of captain Barrie Price and team manager Paul Curran.

The seminal moment of the match, though, came in the last minute of the first half. From a trademark driving maul, Gwernyfed were on the verge of scoring when the Garn number eight went offside to kill the ball and stop a certain try. Wales elite referee, Gareth Bowen reached for a yellow card but reversed the decision to award a penalty try due to some indiscrete comments by the

home side, giving Garndiffaith a penalty instead to kick to

touch to bring the half to an end. From the kick to start the

second half, the visitors number eight collected the ball and,

brushing aside further weak tackilng, ran 50 yards to score

in the corner. This 12 point turn around, either side of half

time, was decisive and, although both teams scored a

further try, the visitors retained the lead until the final

whistle.

Prominent, in a good performance by the forwards, were

the front row of Will Griffiths, Craig Fuller and Craig Parry,

who give their much bigger opponents a torrid time in the

set scrum.