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Hafodyrynys 28 Rhymney 24

​The real roller-coaster ending to this entertaiing but frustrating late-season midweek match, when the Brewwes snatched an unlikely late lead only to lose it at the death, shouldn't disguise the fact that on a night when the Rhymney pack put on perhaps their best scrummaging display of the season against a seasoned home eight, the side didn't deserve to take the spoils: simply because rigbt from the off and including the crucial last score, they showed a lot less in the tackle department than just one Linford Christie. Unusually, there were powder puff challenges of Hafod's forward or backs runners from the very first move, with the early 7-0 reverse it brought, and that all too often continued to require some desperate scramble defence and sacrifice of field position. There was some brave last ditch work, not least from Kyron Moss, Liam Davies, Joey Buckley, Corey Evans, Connor Gregory and super sub Keaton Pardoe at the end, but the yardage made too simply, too frequently by the hosts mean that the Brewers were almost always chasing the game.They did so to some effect, always dangerous behind but prone to the final handling error or a string of misplaced kicks. Liam Davies, currently at centre, quickly exploited a tapped penalty to dash over and convert the equaliser, but woeful defence saw Hafod waltz over for another converted try before good hands gave wing Moss the chance to once more demonstrate his finishing skills: 14-12 at the break. There was plenty of endavour and error from both sides as the battle was joined, Rhymney working hard in the loose but never managing fluency, and indebted to Buckley and the back row for some good ripping and strength work to prevent scores. Davies had suffered a painful ankle knock but carried on, as did the tackling malaise: a big forward waved through for another 7-pointer before Davies neatly prodded a kick through for Moss to do the honours: 21-17. Hafod stated to feel the nerves, Daley Morris couldn't quite hold a scoring pass, and then Hafod cleared, the ball dropping shot of a catch for Brewers wing Jack Donegan. Instead he risked a soccer half-volley, chased it, tapped the awkward bounce up over a  defender and caught it to plunge over! Davies kicked it for a 24-21 Rhymney lead. 'How long left?' asked the Brewers' touchline sage. 'Three minutes' was the reply. 'Far too long', he declared, and so it proved. Hafod missed the centre spot penalty restart, awarded for a push after the try had been awarded, but t would have been better for Rhymney had it gone over for the draw. Instead, the good long dropout was run back, a dreadful attempt at a tackle was missed, a great covering effort saved the day but only for Hafod to go through the phases, grab the converted corner try and take the points: 28-24. Rhymney got two bonus points themselves, for four tries and a narrow defeat, but how much more might that have been had the tackling matched the scrummaging! Deri at the Park for a big one this Saturday, 12th May, and the Brewers wind it all up down at Markham next Wednesday, 16th. It's due at 6.30 but might have to go back a bit from that k.o. time. Cheers, Akky.