Aberdare travelled over to the gwent valley on Saturday afternoon looking to come home with victory against a free flowing Penallta outfit who like to play rugby, The Snakes knew this was going to be another tough encounter, having been comfortably beaten by Penallta earlier in the season at the Ynys.

Determined to right the wrongs of that performance, Aberdare headed to the CoE 3G with a point to prove. The dry but cold conditions on a pristine playing surface provided the perfect stage for an enthralling game of rugby.

The game started in unfortunate fashion for Aberdare, as a mistake straight from the kickoff handed Penallta early possession. The home side wasted no time in applying pressure, forcing the Snakes onto the back foot. However, as always, Aberdare displayed their trademark resilience and defensive determination, pushing Penallta backwards and forcing errors.

As the Snakes grew into the game, they found themselves gaining momentum, with a combination of powerful carries from both backs and forwards putting Penallta under increasing pressure. Their persistence was rewarded when a penalty allowed them to kick for touch deep in Penallta territory. The visitors looked to capitalise with their ever-impressive driving maul, but credit to Penallta, who managed to stop it just short of the line.

With defenders sucked in, the Aberdare backline looked to strike. A fumbling ball landed in the grasp of captain Thomas Roberts, who spotted a half-gap in the defence. Using his strength and power, he forced his way through the defenders to score the opening try of the afternoon. Garyn Payne stepped up and slotted the conversion to put Aberdare ahead 0-7.

However, the lead was short-lived. Just two minutes later, Penallta responded with a try of their own. Their talented outside-half, just as he had done in the previous fixture, manipulated the Aberdare defence superbly, drawing in defenders before popping the ball to a supporting attacker. Although initially cut short of the line, the Pitmen had supporting runners, and a quick offload allowed them to dive over for their first try. The conversion was successful, levelling the score at 7-7.

Undeterred, Aberdare pressed forward once more. Both teams were battling fiercely to break each other’s defences, but it was Aberdare who had the upper hand in this phase of the game. Their sustained pressure forced a penalty, and Garyn Payne made no mistake in slotting the three points to edge the Snakes back in front, 7-10.

Despite Aberdare’s dominance in periods of the first half, Penallta showcased their resilience. A penalty awarded in the Aberdare half allowed their sharp-shooting outside-half to bring the scores level again at 10-10.

Then came a moment of controversy just before halftime. Aberdare, looking to attack from deep, attempted a chip over the top. The Penallta fullback gathered the ball, stepping between two defenders and making a break. With no support around him and Aberdare defenders closing in, he executed a speculative chip over the defensive line. The ball appeared destined for the dead ball line, but the fullback managed to flick it back into play while seemingly nudging Thomas Hopkins out of the way. The supporting winger dived on the ball to claim a try, the referee awarded the score. The conversion was successful, sending Penallta into halftime with a 17-10 lead.

A bruising first half ended with Penallta ahead, but Aberdare knew they were very much in the contest with a massive 40 minutes to come.

The opening quarter of the second half saw both teams going toe-to-toe, searching for the decisive breakthrough. 

It was Aberdare who struck first in sensational fashion. Ben Miller intercepted a pass deep inside his own 22m line and showed his blistering pace to race the length of the field and score in the corner. Garyn Payne kept his perfect record intact with another successful conversion, and the Snakes were back level at 17-17.

With confidence soaring, Aberdare seized the initiative. A loose ball in a ruck was pounced on by prop Nathan Terry, who displayed excellent footballing skills to hack the ball deep into Penallta’s 22. With only one defender back, the Penallta player had no choice but to ground the ball over his try line, awarding Aberdare a five-meter scrum.

Sensing a golden opportunity, the Snakes went for the kill. A powerful shove from the scrum forced Penallta backwards, and the referee awarded a penalty try to the visitors. Now leading 17-24, Aberdare were in control and looking strong.

However, as in the first half, a lapse in concentration from the kickoff proved costly. Penallta immediately regained possession and found space out wide to score in the corner. Their outside-half then produced a sublime conversion from the touchline, bringing the score back to 24-24.

With the game on a knife edge, it was always going to come down to a single moment. Unfortunately for the Snakes, that moment belonged to Penallta. 

With just nine minutes left, their fly-half delivered a perfectly weighted grubber kick behind the Aberdare defence, and a supporting runner managed to gather the ball just in time to touch down for Penallta’s fourth try. The conversion was again successful, giving the home side a 31-24 lead.

Despite the setback, Aberdare refused to go down without a fight. Throwing everything at the Penallta defence in the closing minutes, they battered away at the home side’s line. With the final play of the game, Aberdare earned a penalty and kicked to the corner, setting up a crucial lineout five meters from the try line.

As the rolling maul surged towards the line, hooker Connor Lacey spotted a gap and broke away, diving for the try. The Aberdare players erupted in celebration, believing they had snatched a last-gasp try. However, in a devastating twist, the referee ruled that the ball had been held up over the line, denying Aberdare the score and bringing the game to an end.

Final score: Penallta 31 – Aberdare 24

The performance was nothing short of excellent. Small errors ultimately cost the Snakes a famous victory, but they should hold their heads high after pushing one of the division’s top sides to the limit. They leave with a losing bonus point and the knowledge that they competed fiercely against a formidable opponent.

Credit to Penallta for their resilience and ability to withstand Aberdare’s onslaught, but the Snakes will take plenty of positives from this performance.

With a well-earned break due to the Six Nations and a bye week, the squad will have time to rest and recharge before their next challenge. They return to action on Saturday, March 1st, when they welcome Treorchy Zebras to the Ynys. 

After the dramatic events of their last encounter, Aberdare will be eager to settle the score and secure a much-needed victory.