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Saturday 20th September 2008
TILLERY DOWNED BUT NOT
DOWNHEARTED
Blaina
(0)
19 Abertillery BG
(3)
10
After a cagey first half at a warm
sun-drenched Central Park, this local derby burst into
life in the second period and it was a Ross Watts-inspired
Blaina who came through for a win that they just about
deserved on the balance of play. Tillery can feel very
unlucky however not to have come away with at least a
bonus point that they would have gained with a late
penalty kick had it been successful. Nevertheless, against
a side considered amongst the favourites for promotion,
Tillery's battling youngsters again showed their mettle
and will feel far from downhearted for the encounters
ahead.
Blaina started very brightly with Stuart
Tandy and Ross Watts, both of whom have worn the Green &
White shirt in the past, making some impressive yardage.
Tillery's line held firm however although they were
indebted to Andrew Mason for a superbly well-timed tackle
that took out man and ball.
Having weathered the early storm,
Tillery started to gain parity in all phases and after
Adam Pegler had juggled the ball well to make inroads in
the hosts' defence, Chris Stevens put the visitors in front
with a penalty having just fallen short with a similar
effort minutes earlier.
Again Tandy and Watts made threatening
runs but they were met with resolute defence and Watts was
called upon to make a last ditch tackle on Darren Miles as
the Tillery full back weaved his way 60 metres up field.
Tillery then went close again as Stevens made a great
break and Luke Pegler nearly finished off the move, being
held up just inches short from the line.
H-T: 0-3
Blaina started the second
half well and got their just desserts as Shaun Thomas
landed a penalty to level scores before dropping a goal to
put his side three points in front.
Tillery appeared to have
regained the lead when outside-half Gareth Edwards,
against his former club, gathered a charged down kick and
flopped over the line. He was adjudged to have touched the
side line however and it was Blaina who extended their
lead to 9-3 as Thomas slotted a second penalty, although
they might have benefited even more had advantage been
played.
With thirteen minutes remaining came
what proved to a crucial score. There was a hint
of a knock-on early in the build-up but there was no
denying Ross Watt's powerful run in under the posts which
finished off a break by fellow centre Jones, Thomas adding
the extra two points.
But as Blaina's players exhorted
themselves to kill off the game, Tillery stormed back into
contention as Lee Bowden nearly finished off a sweeping
move initiated by Chris Stevens before Luke Pegler
burrowed his way over for a converted try.
Just 16-10 down and with nearly ten
minutes remaining, Tillery could smell the chance for the
win but shot themselves in the foot when backchat at a
breakdown gave the home side a penalty that Thomas
successfully kicked.
As time ticked away, Tillery now looked
for a score and a bonus point that their
efforts deserved and they seemed certain to get it as
Mason gathered and raced clear with just ten metres to the
line. Unfortunately the referee failed to play advantage,
coming back for a penalty offence, and Stevens' difficult
kick from the touchline fell just short.
Tillery BG website man of the match: Chris Stevens
Weather: Dry
Ground conditions: Excellent
Scorers:
TRIES: Luke Pegler
CONVERSIONS: Chris Stevens
PENALTY: Chris Stevens
Abertillery BG
Line-up:
Miles; Penn, Bowden, C Stevens, Mason; Edwards, L.
Pegler; A Pegler (captain), J. Rossiter, D. Meredith, Lane,
L. Meredith, D Rossiter, Price, Collier.
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