Abertillery BG RFC

thanks its sponsors

and advertisers

for supporting

Tillery Rugby

Design/Cynllun - Cybertyleri

© Copyright/Hawlfraint 2010 Abertillery BG RFC

Abertillery RFC website - the first club rugby website in Wales, established 1995

Gwefan Clwb Rygbi Abertyleri - gwefan clwb rygbi cyntaf Cymru, seflydwyd 1995

Division Three East

When these teams met very early in the season only a last ditch penalty by Tillery’s Daniel Haile separated them, since when their fortunes have diverged dramatically. Ironsides have become rooted to the foot of the table whilst Tillery have enjoyed an excellent season attaining their highest league position since the dark days of desertion and demotion almost a decade ago. And that difference was very apparent in this one-sided encounter.

To their immense credit, the visitors refused to throw in the towel battling bravely to the end, but on this occasion they were outclassed by a rampant Tillery team that ran in seven tries to record its best win of the campaign to date.

After a hard frost, a late morning pitch inspection deemed the pitch playable, which the weak winter sun rendered heavy underfoot in places by kick off. Nevertheless, Tillery made light of it from the off with delightful, determined running rugby throughout the team.

Following a third minute Haile penalty, the ever-impressive Kyle Griffiths dived over for the hosts’ opening try. Craig Edwards kicked Tillery deep into the opposition 22 and Tillery moved the well-won line out ball first out wide left and then right for Edwards and Penn to send Griffiths clear and over, Haile adding the extras with an excellent kick.

The second try followed rapidly as Miles and Haile combined superbly in a counterattack and Craig Meredith outstripped the cover defence from 30 metres for an unconverted score in the corner. The home side was now in full flow and Miles was again instrumental in Tillery’s third as he and Penn cut the Ironsides defence to ribbons to send Griffiths over for his second score of the game.

The Ironsides needed some respite and gained it with their first real attack in the twenty-eighth minute when they did superbly well to create an extra man out on the right for wing Craig Lewis to score.

However, any hopes that the try might herald a comeback for the Tredegar team were rapidly extinguished as immediately from the restart, Dafydd Jones, the Phelps boys and Craig Meredith combined superbly to engineer a gap for Aled Penn and he burst through to flatfoot and round the visitors’ fullback to score under the posts for a bonus point try.

The Ironsides enjoyed their best period just prior to the interval and Daniel Crandon retired to the sidelines for a not-unfamiliar ten-minute break imposed by the referee. Despite that Tillery held out fairly comfortably as the official brought the opening half to an end.

H-T: 29-5

The temporary loss of Crandon failed to affect Tillery as the seven man pack shunted the Ironsides eight fully twenty metres back at an opposition scrum to gain early field position after the break. Ironsides managed to clear only for Justin Phelps to burst clean through but the flanker fatally delayed his pass with two men in the clear outside him and the chance went begging.

He atoned moments later though as he and Haile created space for Dafydd Jones whose thrust and neat feed saw Luke Pegler threaten the line. Quick ball gave Aled Penn the opportunity to breach the defensive line and he was aided by his pack to crash over for a try.

Then came a moment dubbed waggishly by one home supporter as ‘Vintage de Milo’. The now veteran full back latched onto a loose clearance kick just inside his own half, looked up to assess the cover defenders and with a jink and a step accelerated around them to race clear under the posts.

With the result in no doubt, the game now fizzled out somewhat compared to the free-flowing rugby of the opening hour. Miles showed his defensive qualities as he snuffed out an Ironsides attack with a great tackle but the visitors continued to battle and gained their just desserts with their second try ten minutes from time.

But fittingly Tillery had the last word as with the last move of the game, Crandon found himself in possession out on the right to cross for an unconverted score.

Tillery M o M - Dafydd Jones

14 January 2012
TILLERY THRASH IRONSIDES
Abertillery (29) 46 Tredegar Ironsides (5) 12

Division Three East

Latest Table

Results - 14 January 2012