Season 2009-2010
LEAGUE DIVISION FOUR EAST
April 10 2010
TILLERY
HOLD
THEIR NERVE FOR BONUS WIN
Abercarn (3) 24
Abertillery BG (24) 35
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Luke Pegler dives over for his
first try of the game.
Having suffered their last defeat at this ground in
the Bowl back in January and only narrowly beating
Abercarn at home a few weeks back, this game loomed
large as a major hurdle in Tillery's final promotion
challenge run-in.
If there was any anxiety however in the Green &
Whites' ranks, it didn't show as in a devastating
first half display brimming with power, purpose and
precision, Tillery rampaged through the home side to
rack up four excellent tries and a bonus point after
just 35 minutes.
Then midway through the second
half
with the Green & Whites having failed to take
chances to pull further away but the job
seemingly done, the whole complexion of the game
changed for a few minutes. Abercarn raised their
tempo whilst Tillery lost their earlier rhythm. Two
converted tries in fairly quick succession put the
home side within a score at 24-17 and the fate of the
game seemed suddenly in the balance.
It was then that the Tillery players held their
nerve and showed their mettle as they put down the
home resurgence with clinical authority. The pack
upped the pace again and Chris Stevens, not for the
first time this season, displayed huge maturity to
drop a goal and then slot a difficult penalty kick
to ease his side's lead to 30-17 before Luke
Pegler's second try sealed the result, a further
late try for Abercarn being just reward for their
second half efforts.
Abercarn opened the scoring in the second minute
with a Jason Evans' penalty as Andrew Mason was very
harshly deemed to have committed a dangerous tackle.
That proved to the only high point of the first half
for the home side as Tillery warmed to their task in
the spring sunshine with wave after wave of
attacking play. Eventually the pressure told as a
clever pop-up pass by Craig Meredith allowed Aled
Penn to burn off the home defenders for an
unconverted try.
Daniel Martin then capitalised on some lovely dummy
running to cross for a try converted by Stevens
before Luke Pegler finished off a delightful piece
of interplay between Kevin Day and Darren Miles,
Stevens again adding the extra points.
Just before the interval, Craig Meredith was on hand
to drive over after the Tillery pack had surged
forward in unison.
H-T: 3 -24
The Tillery onslaught continued after the
break but they were unable to add further points as
Abercarn at last held firm.
The introduction of Gethin Patterson appeared to
inject some extra urgency into the home side's play,
although when they scored a try in the 55th
minute, there seemed little to suggest that they
would pose a threat to the outcome of the game.
Adam Morgan takes
attacking line-out ball in the second-half at
Abercarn
But within five minutes they added a second
converted try as renewed belief seemed to surge
though their ranks with Tillery unable to regain
their former fluency behind.
With the score now 17-24, some anxious looks were
exchanged amongst the large away following on the
terrace but they need not have worried.
Immediately
from the restart, Kevin Day, Luke Pegler and
replacement pivot, Gareth Edwards combined well setting
up an excellent position for Stevens to coolly slot
a dropped goal and the youngster then effortlessly
kicked a tricky thirty-five metre penalty after Aled Penn had
nearly pierced the home defence.
With that, the game resumed its earlier pattern of
visiting dominance and Luke Pegler was on hand to
take advantage of Dai Rossiter's excellent charge
down of a clearance kick to score his second try of
the game.
To their credit Abercarn kept plugging away and they
added a further converted score late on although it was
Tillery who nearly had the final word as they were
held up just short in the final moments.
Website MoM - Luke Pegler
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Abertillery BG RFC
2009-2010
click for report
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