The Snakes made the short journey to local rivals Mountain Ash, aiming to extend their winning streak to three games, and they delivered in a thrilling Christmas cracker to close out the year. Despite challenging conditions, the Snakes powered through a heavy, muddy pitch to secure a well-earned bonus-point victory.
The Snakes opened with a bang, scoring within six minutes. Patient build-up play from both backs and forwards culminated in Jamie Price crashing over the try line. Garyn Payne added the extras, giving the visitors an early 0-7 lead.
Mountain Ash responded immediately, taking advantage of a well-executed line out move that split the Snakes’ defence. Their Number 7 showed great pace to finish off the move, and with a successful conversion, the scores were level at 7-7.
Undeterred, Aberdare struck again. A scrum inside Mountain Ash territory provided the platform for an excellent sequence of phases. A sharp offload from Thomas Hopkins set winger Ben Miller free, who linked with fullback Jarrad Rees. Rees threw a dummy, outpaced the defence, and scored. Payne’s conversion made it 7-14.
Mountain Ash hit back almost immediately through a driving maul from a penalty line out, closing the gap to 12-14 after the missed conversion. But Aberdare kept their composure. A loose clearance kick from Mountain Ash was seized by Garyn Payne, who offloaded to flanker Owen Young. Young finished with aplomb, and Payne’s reliable boot made it 12-21 at halftime.
With the wind in their favour, Mountain Ash started the second half strongly. Their outside half slotted a penalty to narrow the gap to 15-21 with over 30 minutes remaining.
Aberdare, however, refused to be rattled, showing remarkable defensive resilience as Mountain Ash launched repeated forward-driven attacks.
When the Snakes did break through, it came in spectacular fashion. After a held-up try by Leon Caviel, Mountain Ash’s dropout fell to Kieron Parry. Parry’s strong run and deft offload found Jarrad Rees, who set up Garyn Payne. Payne cleverly passed to Ben Miller, who raced into the corner for Aberdare’s fourth try. Payne’s stunning conversion stretched the lead to 15-28.
The Snakes capped off their afternoon with a fifth try. Following sustained pressure, Thomas Hopkins sliced through Mountain Ash’s defence and offloaded to Leon Caviel, who crashed over the line. Though the conversion was missed, Aberdare’s dominance was clear at 15-33.
Mountain Ash fought valiantly for a consolation score, but Aberdare’s defence held firm. The final whistle confirmed an emphatic win for the visitors, securing a bonus point to round off an excellent performance.
The Snakes head into the Christmas break on a high note, showcasing grit and determination on a challenging pitch. Their ability to capitalise on key moments and maintain defensive solidity under pressure were instrumental to their success.
Aberdare will enjoy the festive season before resuming action on January 4th with an away match against Rumney.