Fixture

Abergavenny traveled to Oakdale on Saturday needing to win this difficult league fixture in order to keep their promotion hopes alive. Aber made a few changes to their starting line up Jack Williams, Jay Adams and Matt Charles made up the front row. Will Evans returned to the second row with Josh Van Mael the normal suspects of Dan Beavan, Josh Davies and Rudi Lewis were in the back row. Rhob Conick and Rhodri Webster were at half back, Dan smith and Will Williams made up the center pairing and Sam Vaughan, Jacob Buttler and Lloyd Holder were the back three.

Before the game started Oakdale put a spoke in Abers wheel by going passive from the start taking away Abergavenny's strong scrummaging game, but as the game got going the away side did not let this deter them and they went straight on the offensive and soon opened the scoring with a try touched down by full back Jacob Buttler converted by Webster. Oakdale then put Aber under pressure for a period and were rewarded with a penalty but this was cancelled out by a penalty by Webster giving Abergavenny a 10-3 lead. The away side were not having it all their own way with the home defence repeatedly knocking Abergavenny's attackers back in the tackle and forcing errors from Abers players, eventually the breakthrough came when winger Sam Vaughan picked up a losse ball and sprinted 75 meters to score under the posts converted to give Aber a 17-3 lead. From the restart a lack of concentration gifted Oakdale a penalty which the home outside half put into the corner from where the home forwards drove over for a try right on the stroke of half time leaving the score finely balanced at 17-10.

From the restart the home side threw everything at Aber and the away side were soon reduced to 14 men due to a yellow card and from the resulting penalty Oakdale opted for a passive scrum from where the home number eight crossed for a converted try to bring the scores all level 17-17. This score seemed to wake up the Abergavenny side and the introduction of replacements Nathan Thomas and Gareth Beavan seemed to give the away side more direction and they started to dominate the contact area giving the backs quicker and cleaner ball which allowed them to move the ball wide for full back Buttler to score his second try converted by Webster. As the game drew to a close Aber introduced Ryan Joyce, Dan Dunmore and Jamie Knight off the bench and pushed for that all important bonus point try, eventually after keeping the ball for a long period and producing some excellent handling Gareth Beavan and Jacob Buttler produced enough momentum to put second row Will Evans in for an very popular try in the corner to give Aber a bonus point and a very hard fought victory 17-29.

Abergavenny now have a three week break before they play Monmouth on the 19th of May, a game which could determine Aber's promotion hopes.

Abergavenny Quins cup final which was postponed last Friday has yet to be rearranged please keep checking web site and facebook for new date .