Llandovery 16 Aberavon 14.
LLANDOVERY kept their title aspirations alive with this narrow but well deserved win over a hugely committed Aberavon side
writes Huw S Thomas..
In an often ill tempered and sometimes brutal contest which saw three players sin binned for foul play, it took a last gasp penalty from fly half Jack Maynard to edge the Drovers home.
The win takes them up to third place in the table, six points behind leaders Pontypridd and just one point behind Ebbw Vale with five games left.
The Drovers dominated possession and territory thanks to the hard work of their forwards under skipper and hooker Luke Lewis but their backs were frustrated time and time again by some outstanding defence by the Wizards.
Centres Matthew Jenkins and David Evans, flanker Joe Tomalin -Reeves and hooker Gareth Harvey were heroic in their commitment to the Aberavon cause.
Winning coach Euros Evans was delighted to get one over Aberavon backs coach Lyndon Lewis who left Church Bank for the Talbot Athletic Ground last year.
"We were on top but found the Aberavon defence difficult in the extreme to break down but we kept our composure and created far more than them. It was a must win game for us as four of our last five games are away and defeat would have given us too much leeway to make up."
A try from wing Jay Baker converted by ex-Llandovery half James Garland gave the Wizards the lead before locks Ian Moore and Matthew Harbut were sin binned for their prominent part in a six man brawl.
The loss of skipper Moore was a real blow to Aberavon and the dodging and darting Lee Rees got a morale boosting try back on the stroke of half time.
Scrum half Rees then sent wing Aaron Warren side stepping in at the posts for Maynard to convert but full back Joe Gage soon responded with a try up the left after inter-passing with Steff Andrews.
Llandovery surged forward with back rowers Richard Brooks and Stuart Worrall in the van and Aberavon centre Jenkins made a great tackle to deny opposite number Rhodri Jones a try.
Aberavon prop Andrew Clatworthy was then yellow carded for trampling on Worrall and it put increasing pressure on the visitors stamina in the last 10 minutes.
Maynard missed a 35 metre penalty in injury time but three minutes later slotted the last gasp winner to sneak the Drovers home.
Llandovery travel to the Gnoll on Friday evening (March 11) to play bottom of the table Neath, needing to win well to keep up their play-off hopes alive.