Fixture

Mount played with the wind in the first half, and although it appeared from the sideline that it was a light breeze, it was stronger than that and had an effect on the game throughout. Early pressure from the Old Firm in the Aberdare 22 was rewarded with a penalty which outside half Jayden Pugh slotted through the posts for a 3-0 lead.

A dropped ball in midfield by Aberdare was seized upon by the Mount forwards. Good vision by scrum half Ross Davies saw him chip over the home defence for wing Jarrod Cushion to run onto and it took some desperate Aberdare defence to keep him out near the try line.

A strong scrum by the Mount forwards on the Aberdare 22 had the home pack going back. From the penalty award, outside half Pugh once again converted to make it 6-0 after 10 minutes.

After a Mount kick was charged down in the Mount half, a long pass by Cushion to full back Callum Hall saw him go on an arcing run which started a counter attack which wing Morgan James took up to the home 22.

Although Mount prop James Cowdry was yellow carded for a high tackle, the Old Firm kept on attacking, wing Cushion contributing a couple of times. A third penalty to Mount was once again nicely struck by Pugh to take the Old Firm’s lead up to 9-0 after 20 minutes.

Aberdare had found it hard to take play into the Mount half. From virtually their first incursion, an apparent knock-on by the hosts in open play was missed and ended with a penalty award to the home side. A kick up to the Mount 22 saw a catch and a strong drive by the Aberdare pack from the lineout to take play to 10 metres out where the ball was moved across the backline and ended with the blindside wing coming into the line at pace, and although he was tackled, he reached over the try line to touch down and get a crucial try. A well-judged conversion into the wind made the score 9-7 after 24 minutes.

The Old Firm continued moving the ball. Centre Jamie Long was almost through in midfield but an ankle tap denied him. A 47 metre penalty attempt by Mount full back Callum Hall fell just short, and then with the half coming to a close, Mount once again were reduced to 14 men when outside half Jayden Pugh was yellow carded.

The second half started with the home side going in front in the 46^th minute when an attack on the Mount 22 went one way and then back, with the Old Firm defence being caught short, and which was finished off with a try in the corner. A superbly judged conversion from the touchline put Aberdare 14-9 up.

The home team had another chance of a score but a forward pass stopped it. Play was hard fought and became a stalemate and a yellow card to an Aberdare forward after 70 minutes reduced the home team to 14.

A penalty to the Old Firm in injury time on the Aberdare 22 was quickly taken in the heat of the moment when it might have been better to pin the home team in the corner and go for a 5 metre lineout. This proved to be Mount’s best chance of a score in the closing stages which left them with a losing bonus point and Aberdare securing the points to gain promotion. The Old Firm are now in 2^nd place, with Cambrian top and Aberdare in 3^rd.

This Saturday, Mount travel to top of the table Cambrian Welfare. Nothing but a win will do for the Old Firm. Kick off is 2:30pm.