Brecon 33 Nantyglo 23

AFTER six weeks without a league game, Brecon finally took to the Parc de Pugh pitch for the first time last Saturday.

After such a long lay off there were doubts about how quickly the team could shake off the rustiness and get back on track and there was a lot at stage for both teams. Although Brecon were 10 points clear in the table of their opponents, Nantyglo, they could not afford a costly loss.

For the home crowd, initial worries were almost immediately dispelled when after just five minutes, Brecon scored a great team try after claiming the ball at the kick off and going through multiple phases before delivering the ball to wing Mario Nash who was unstoppable and crashed in at the corner. Although the conversion failed it was just the start Brecon needed.

Despite looking sharp and dangerous, Brecon failed to capitalise on their great start. Having seemingly given themselves and advantage they allowed Nantyglo to get back into the game.

The combination of the front row winning the scrummage battle, the second row partnership winning their line out ball and the back row carrying effectively and challenging their opponents at every breakdown should have allowed Brecon to take control of the score board but they let themselves down in other ways.

Kicking out of hand was at times disappointing and three penalty attempts sailed wide.

Nantyglo then very efficiently managed to take the lead after capitalising on a long range penalty, they then produced a wonderfully constructed move to give them their second score and the lead.

After a restart following a failed Brecon penalty attempt, the home side gave away a penalty. This allowed Nantyglo to throw a line out on the Brecon 10 metre line.

A clean catch was followed by a drive of at least 30 metres. The ball emerged and after some brilliant work from the backs the outside half worked a lovely loop around his inside centre and the left win ran in at the corner.

Brecon responded brilliantly and Gari Davies kicked a penalty to level the scores and shortly afterwards they scored a superb try. Jake Newman gathered a kick ahead deep in the Brecon half and burst away leaving Nantyglo chasing. His run took him to within sight of the try line before cover reached him.

Scrum half Blake Parata popped up to take the inside pass and made the line in spite of the intervention of desperate defenders.

From here Brecon should have taken a firm hold of the game but two penalties were missed, they let themselves down by giving away soft penalties at the break-down. At half time they held a five point lead but it should have been a more comfortable advantage.

The second half started as the first had. Gari Davies put in a lovely kick to give his side an attacking position and then slotted over a penalty as Nantyglo infringed under pressure.

This was followed by another long distance try. Jake Crockett was given space on half way and just when it looked like he was away, a despairing dive made contact with his heel and threw him off balance.

Re-gaining his feet he kept his composure and fed Dafydd Thomas who brushed the remnants of the defence away and scored a try which Gari Davies converted.

Brecon were now 15 points up and had a wind advantage. After the kick off failed to travel 10 metres and Brecon’s dominant scrum was given the put in on half way. A needless free kick for not straight at the put in was given and the Nanytglo number 8 took a quick tap and caught Brecon completely off guard.

His charging run was stopped on five metres and Brecon gave away a penalty. The visitors kicked for the corner, won the line out, set up the drive and sucked in most of Brecon’s defenders.

As soon as that happened the ball was spun wide and Brecon’s defence was outflanked allowing Nantyglo’s centre to score. A successful conversion meant the visitors were back in the game.

Gari Davies exchanged penalties with his opposite number and then Brecon finally picked up the bonus point try to put the opposition away.

After a Jake Newman kick into the corner and a lineout, Brecon drove but were denied on the line. A second attempt saw Danny Howe driven over for a try which Gari Davies converted.

Nantyglo responded and showed power in their driving maul as they swept Brecon away to score a converted try.