On a dry but cold March afternoon, the Snakes welcomed Cambrian to the Ynys for another hard-fought battle.

It was the visitors who started the stronger, dominating the first 20 minutes and taking the lead through a well-worked try. A half-break in a tackle saw Cambrian’s support runner cross the whitewash, with a successful conversion putting them 7-0 ahead.

Despite Cambrian’s dominance, Aberdare stayed in the fight and began to impose themselves on the game. A penalty awarded in the visitors’ 22 gave the Snakes the opportunity to strike. A well executed line out maul saw Daniel Lewis crash over for the first try of the afternoon, with Garyn Payne adding the extras to level the score at 7-7.

Now in the ascendency, Aberdare showcased their attacking flair. Thomas Hopkins spotted a gap between two defenders, slicing through the defence before throwing an outrageous dummy to beat two players and handing off a third to stroll under the posts. Payne converted again, giving the Snakes a 14-7 lead. 

Cambrian responded with a penalty, reducing the gap to 14-10.

The Snakes’ third try came from a well structured attack. A strong midfield carry by Payne was followed by a surging run from Josh Bowditch, stretching the Cambrian defence. Quick hands saw Thomas Roberts break downfield before linking with Jarrad Rees. Under immense pressure, Cambrian infringed, and with a penalty advantage in play, Adam Parry burst through a gap to score. Payne’s conversion extended the lead to 21-10.

Aberdare ended the half in style, taking advantage of sustained pressure and multiple Cambrian infringements. A deep line out set up another attacking platform, and although the visitors halted the initial maul, Kieron Parry powered over to secure the bonus-point try. Payne’s pinpoint kicking made it 28-10 at halftime.

The second half, however, was a different story. Aberdare struggled to fire, with errors creeping into their game. Cambrian capitalised, pinning the Snakes back and forcing them into repeated infringements, resulting in two yellow cards and even a brief spell with just 13 men.

Cambrian’s second try came through a dominant driving maul from 10 meters out, narrowing the gap to 28-15. The Snakes dug deep defensively, but Cambrian’s relentless pressure paid off when they opted for a scrum inside the Aberdare 22. With a numerical advantage, they powered over, converting to bring the score to 28-22.

With time running out, Cambrian threw everything at Aberdare, launching wave after wave of attacks. The Snakes’ defensive grit was tested to the limit, and the tension on the sidelines was palpable. It felt like an endless second half, but eventually, the Snakes secured possession and kicked the ball to touch, sealing a nerve-wracking victory.

Credit to Cambrian, who on another day might have come away with the win. Aberdare, though not at their best, showed resilience and determination to grind out the result.

Next up, the Snakes travel to the Gwent Valley to take on Ynysddu. 

A vastly improved performance will be needed to secure another win, as Ynysddu will undoubtedly come out all guns blazing.