Gwernyfed were rewarded for their endeavour with a 32-24 win over Llantwit Major over the weekend.

The lead change hands four times over 80 minutes in an entertaining running game of rugby.

Report by Peter Weavers

After a torrid start to the season with four successive away games and some serious injuries, the green, white and blacks returned to The Brian Jones Memorial Field and finally reaped the deserved rewards.

The visitors from the south coast were welcomed by a sizeable crowd basking in the autumn sun. Both sides played their part in an entertaining game that saw the lead change hands four times, the initial plaudits going to the away side who stormed the Gwernyfed line from the kick off and within five minutes established a five-point lead.

From the restart James Brute’s side went on the attack and with the pack delivering good ruck ball and half backs Levi Phillips and Will Lloyd releasing the three-quarters a try looked inevitable, scramble defence was the order of the hour for the visitors and penalties were inevitable.

Uncharacteristically, Gerwyn Williams missed a straight forward chance but that error was recovered when he put another penalty into the corner, from the ensuing line-out and maul Lewis Bowen ploughing over, setting the scene for an excellent afternoon for the dangerous resurgent number eight.

Llanwit Major were never beaten and regained the lead with a try wide out on the right, well converted.

That effort was cancelled when ever alert wing Jack ‘Sol’ Williams intercepted a long pass and ran in unchallenged from sixty metres to make Williams’s conversion a formality.

Half time approached with honours even but as excellent referee Alex Yau glanced at his watch some slick handling on the 22 by Will Lloyd and Sam Stephens gave Zac Snape an opportunity that the big man grasped with aplomb to open up a five-point half-time lead.

Williams extended the advantage with a penalty within minutes of the restart but the Gwernyfed faithful can never rest on their laurels and when the visitors struck with two tries, one converted, the rallying call for extra effort in the last quarter rung out loud and clear.

The call was answered and the home pack tore into the cause, Chuck Norris, Will Nicholls and Cellan Skyrme using the sword. Joe Jones and Tom Lloyd the rapier.

As always skipper Brute led from the front and it was fitting that he was the one to touch down to regain the lead after a series of telling rucks.

Centres Tom Morgan and Rhodri Williams had starred in attack and defence and with the opposition desperately trying to break out of their own half, an error presented the ball to Gwernyfed, swift passing to Williams 25 metres out saw him waltz through the static defence to canter under the posts, allowing Williams a simple two pointer to wrap up a well-deserved bonus-point win, sending a happy throng back to The Old Malthouse in great spirit.

Next weekend sees the visit of Swansea side Penlan to Talgarth in the WRU Bowl.

This will be the first game between the sides and coached Roberts and Reynolds will be drilling the green, white and blacks to expect the unexpected.