Gwernyfed enjoyed another convincing victory at the weekend, this time against Fleur De Lys.

The Blackwood side were competitive but never looked like threatening the green, white and black’s two-year unbeaten run at the Brian Jones Memorial Field in Talgarth.

The win left Joe Winfield’s men at the top of the league with a nine match, 100 per cent, record.

Gwernyfed 45 - Fleur De Lys 7

WRU Division 3 East

Report by Peter Weavers

Gwernyfed had the game in the bag by the eighth minute by which time two converted tries left ‘Flower’ chasing the game. The opening try summed up the relentlessness that faces Gwernyfed’s opposition these days. A ranging move involving every one of the Talgarth men’s backs was brought to an end with a fine tackle on Will Lloyd just short of the line. Not to be deterred, scrum half Luke Eckley stole the ball back, launching rucks that had Geraint Powell and Kelly Davies thwarted, the third phase seeing lock Tom Lloyd drive over from five metres, celebrating the birth of his son and allowing Joe Winfield a simple two-pointer.

Gwernyfed returned to the attack from the kick-off, committing defenders with driving runs through Powells Lloydd and Tom, probing through the backs with Tyler Morris and skipper Winfield directing the traffic. Twice the visitors had the chance to clear, twice they found forwards who drove the ball back into the red zone. An expansive move to the left came up just short, the pivot was reversed allowing fly half Morris, increasingly influential, to find right wing Will Lloyd with a long pass, the Clyro man making no mistake. Once again Winfield added the points from wide out.

Rarely is a game one-sided and on this occasion Fleur went on the offensive. The 10-minute onslaught was impressive in terms of recycling and ball retention, but Gwernyfed’s attacking prowess is underpinned by impressive defence, reaping the rewards of some top-class coaching from Lee Thomas, Alun Phillips and Matthew Lewis. The result was that the visitors’ progress towards the line was limited, whereas when Gwernyfed switched to attack their finishing was clinical.

The third try summed it up. Fleur had battered away around the Gwernyfed 22 for several phases but eventually held the ball for too long on the ground under threat from flankers Will Eckley and Kyle Davies. Winfield pushed the penalty well down the left and from the line-out Lloydd Powell pushed deep into the defence, Luke Eckley used Geraint Powell as axis man to release Ryan Davies coming on a reverse angle at speed 25 metres out – not a finger was laid upon the flying centre as he dived in under the posts.

The ever-reliable Will Lloyd scored the fourth to secure a bonus point. Fleur chipped over when running out of defence, a dangerous ploy when Joe Winfield is at full back. The skipper collected the ball 40 metres out, went left until the move was snuffed out and then tried the right flank, the ball passing through four pairs of hands before Ryan Davies passed to Lloyd who scored wide out under pressure from three defenders.

It took ten minutes for Gwernyfed to extend their lead as the second period evolved. An early feature was the resilience of the Gwernyfed defence which frustrated long periods of Fleur ball retention, albeit retention to little effect. When play moved to the other end, a Gwernyfed scrum within five metres of the line spelled trouble for the visitors who repelled charges from Lloydd Powell and then replacement front rowers Craig Parry and Prys Eckley before Geraint Powell crossed the whitewash after an outrageous dummy that enraged the defence.

After some undistinguished midfield charges by Fleur, a penalty on the hour allowed Winfield to secure a line-out five metres out, the resultant maul, reminiscent of seasons past, had Cellan Skyrme taking the ball at the base and trundling over with his pack in the van, Winfield adding the conversion.

The final quarter had the visitors on the front foot without any real signs of getting past the home defence, though with two minutes to go a mighty scramble under the posts saw the referee raise his arm to signal a try that was no less than Fleur’s efforts deserved. However, to rather rub salt in the wounds, Gwernyfed neutralised that score when a sweeping move from inside their own half instigated by Tyler Morris and Gethin Davies found Will Lloyd off his wing. Lloyd was supported by Joe Winfield who carried down the left touchline, sidestepped infield and passed to the mighty Gethin Davies following up to run in past three defenders from 20 metres.

The final whistle followed Winfield’s conversion, Gwernyfed recording an impressive win even if slightly ring-rusty after the lay-off caused by the autumn internationals and bad weather. Next weekend brings a stern challenge in the form of a visit to second-placed Nantyglo who will be looking to avenge their only defeat of the season at the hands of Gwernyfed back in September. Coaches and players will be on full alert for what could be a season-defining game.