Fixture

 

 

A strangely subdued Athletic pack finally came to life at the Brewey Field in the final quarter of the game when trailing 25-10 to provide their speedy back division with the possession to cross for three late tries to draw 25-25 with neighbours Kenfig Hill. Had any of these tries or two last minute penalties been converted then instead of 3 points for a bonus try draw, the Athletic would have recorded an unlikely 5-point win.

 

 Kenfig Hill seemed more motivated and organised in the first hour. Their pack was on top in both the scrum and lineout and retained possession, while the Athletic were disjointed and made far too many handling errors in good playing conditions.

 

Kenfig Hill started brightly and were 6 points ahead after only 5 minutes through 2 Lloyd Giles penalties. The Athletic responded when wing Dan Howells ran out of defence and linked with his opposite wing Mike Powell who released scrum half Dan James. James chipped over the full back and won the race to touch down wide out. This made him the Athletics’ leading try scorer this season with 8, and was his 3^rd try this season against the Mules. Leading points scorer outside half Luke Bevan added the conversion.

 

This was as good as it got for the Athletic in the first half as Kenfig Hill took control. Mules scrum half Tom Briggs broke blind from a scrum to cross for a try converted by Giles. Athletic lock Jonathon Stoker was sin binned for a deliberate knock on to stop a passing move. Kenfig Hill kicked the penalty to the corner and a succession of drives from the line out saw flanker Scott Waller cross for the Mules second try also converted by Giles. This gave the visitors a deserved 20-7 half time lead.

 

Within two minutes of the second half Kenfig Hill broke along the touchline from half way. A kick ahead eluded the Athletic defence for wing Lewis Morgan to touch down in the corner. A Luke Bevan penalty reduced his side’s deficit to 25-10.

 

With 15 minutes remaining the Athletic pack suddenly came to life. They started driving through the middle with locks Griff Davies and Jonathon Stoker making good yardage and the back row of Ben Howe, Jonathon Howard and Stuart Edbrook also driving forward. This provided possession over the gain line. Centre Aled Thomas kept the momentum going with a quick tap penalty thirty metres out and passed to supporting flanker Jon Howard who stepped inside three players to cross for an unconverted try. Kenfig Hill tried a long-range penalty which just went wide and was collected behind the try line by Athletic full back Stuart Floyd-Ellis. Floyd-Ellis elected to run and beat several players before being halted on the Mules 10 metre line. The ball was quickly recycled and centre Tom Jenkins released wing Dan Howells to cross for his seventh try of the season. From the restart the Athletic then ran back at the Mules from their own 22. The ball reached wing Mike Powell whose pace saw him level the scores at 25-25 with the Athletics’ fourth try earning them a bonus point try. The final minutes saw the Athletic throw everything at Kenfig Hill, who also saw a player yellow carded for deliberately knocking the ball forward to prevent a passing move. Regrettably youngster Bevan’s normally reliable boot sent two last minute penalties wide of the upright resulting in the Athletics’ first drawn game this season.

 

The Athletic complete the season this Saturday April 22^nd at Newbridge Fields, when they host likely league winners Trebanos, who ominously despatched Ammanford 90-7 in their last fixture.

 

The club would like to thank Mr Simon Apsee of J.H.Apsee& Sons for once again sponsoring an Athletic league game.