Fixture

Six tries from ‘star in the making’ Thomas Bowen helped Aberdare cruise to a comfortable in a wet and windy Tonyrefail.

Tonyrefail kicked off but big hits from Thomas Bowen, Conrad Gregory and Kyle Thomas-Lloyd in particular enabled Aberdare to turnover. They then got quick ball to Thomas Bowen who blazed his way past 5 or 6 players to score his first try of the match.

Tonyrefail had a good player of their own and it was him who equalised straight away when he evaded 3 or 4 tackles to score a great try in quick reply.

Aberdare were determined to get the victory though after last week’s narrow lose and the whole team ran strong off loading and supporting each other magnificently.   They got to within 5 meters of the home side’s try line when Dewi Reynolds bust through a couple of tackles to cross and put them back in the lead.

Tonyrefail ran at Aberdare straight from the restart but unfortunately for them ran straight into a brick wall in the shape of man of the match Conrad Gregory.  Gregory was immense in the tackle area and Aberdare quickly turned the ball over and once the ball was in the hands of Thomas Bowen there was only one outcome.  Try Aberdare.

Tonyrefail did strike back again though when their number 9 scored a scorcher of his own just before the break.

Aberdare had possession from the re start and grafted their way to within striking distance.  From there scrum half Iestyn Evans picked out a superbly timed run from the ever astute Ellis Williams who hit the ball perfectly to blast his way over for a beautifully crafted try.

Tonyrefail were still in it at this stage though and came back well with a good team try, then closed the gap even further after a turnover when their huge number 9 struck again.

Aberdare decided it was too close for comfort now and started to impose their style on the game when they started to throw the ball around.  This opened the game up and that suited the brilliant Kyle Thomas- Lloyd who pulled the strings behind and distributed the ball beautifully. Alistair Francis-Wilson  came  close but was pipped on the line. There was no catching Thomas Bowen though who burned his way over for his hat trick.

Bowen wasn’t done yet either.  Big hits from Rhys Thomas, Conrad Gregory and Kyle Thomas-Lloyd resulted in a turnover.  Quick ball again from Evans put Thomas Bowen in space and that’s all he needed to show a clean pair of heels to get his fourth and leave a trail of destruction in his wake. 

Aberdare turned the ball over yet again from the restart with aggressive tackling from the whole team and kid wonder Thomas Bowen got his fifth of the game after another jaw dropping solo run.  7-5 to Aberdare at the break.

Tonyrefail restarted and broke through the Aberdare defence close to the line.  This brought them back to within one try but it was to be their last of the day.

Aberdare now went on the rampage.  Great runs from Alistair Francis-Wilson, Kyle Thomas-Lloyd, Iestyn Evans and Ross Snowdon all nearly produced tries. Then superb ball handling from the whole team  worked ‘The Bull’ Conrad Gregory into place and from there he charged over for their 8^th of the game.

Tonyrefail attempted to mount an attack from the re start but some great tackling from Ellis Williams, Thomas Bowen, Riley Prosser and Jayden Meade helped turn the ball over. Aberdare got the ball to try machine Thomas Bowen who danced and side stepped his way over for his sixth try which drew great applause from the whole crowd.

Tonyrefail’s attack was no match for Aberdare’s aggressive tacking from the restart with Dewi Reynolds, Ashton Phillips, Andrew Payne, Conrad Gregory and the ever improving Rhys Thomas constantly putting their bodies on the line.

Turnover ball resulted in the brilliant wing wizard Andrew Payne going on a brilliant solo run picking a lovely gap in the defence to get his first of the day and Aberdare’s tenth.

Coaches Spencer Jones and Gareth Bowen were delighted with their team’s performance and a fantastic result for Aberdare who got back to winning ways after the narrow disappointment of  last week.