Sam Stephens’s side recorded another five-point win in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd, writes Peter Weavers.

However, the visitors from the Ebbw Valley, while not able to make much headway against stern midfield defence, tackled manfully and it was only in the last quarter that the green, white and blacks put the result beyond doubt.

The game went Gwernyfed’s way from the start. Skipper Stephens fielded the kick-off, Gethin Davies clearing to half-way. A squint throw gave Gwernyfed a scrum, centre Jack Williams broke a tackle and made thirty metres, the resultant ruck releasing powerhouse Lloyd Powell down the left. A high tackle stopped progress but once Davies had prodded the penalty within five metres of the flag, Cellan Skyrme found his man and then joined the maul to open the scoring, Davies converting from out wide.

The next thirty minutes was a game of defensive success. Llanhilleth held on to their own ball well, albeit making making minimal progress thanks to some great tackling by the likes of Will Eckley and Tom Lloyd. If Gwernyfed were unerring in defence, so were the visitors and though a couple of chances were squandered, with half time approaching there was only one score on the board.

With the clock running down, a scrum 30 metres out provided a platform. Centre Dylan Skyrme and fly half Gethin Davies switched positions. Tom Griffiths found his man and the deadly duo caused havoc in the defence. Full back Zack Snape came in as link man to release Calum Fergusson whose instinct for the try line is unerring. Once again, Llanhilleth scrambled but, while bringing the winger down postponed the five points, Tom Griffiths was on hand to pop the ball up to Lloyd Powell, the Hay man unstoppable from five metres.

The third quarter also had the defences on top and though Gwernyfed enjoyed a distinct territorial advantage, it was the visitors who scored next with a nice move out wide finding the defensive line, two weakened by two yellow card absences, a little too narrow. That score was soon cancelled out when, after substantial pressure in the visitors’ five metre area, flanker Will Eckley got the touch down for the third try.

As the game progressed it was clear that the visiting defence was tiring, a fact rudely exploited by replacement Tyler Morris and irrepressible Gethin Davies. It was the latter who taunted the defence with a 50-metre break which should have yielded the green, white and blacks’ fourth try, the brilliant run frustrated by a dropped pass. However, the bonus point wasn’t long in coming. When Sam Stephens grabbed a loose ball inside his own half it was Davies again on hand to collect the pass, the youngster galloping in from 50 metres, this time finishing the task personally.

There was time for a further sortie, the forwards returning the kick off with interest and pressing the Llanhilleth defence which remained strong until the ball was spread, outside centre Jack Williams applying the coup de grace by sidestepping two cover tacklers to touch down, allowing Tyler Morris a simple conversion to close proceedings.

Next weekend sees Gwernyfed travel to Bedwellty in the second round of the cup. It will be a stern test, but Stephens’s men are showing both form and resilience and would hope to progress by deploying both qualities.