Fixture

Following the heroic narrow defeat at Bony last week the fans and I assume the players would have approached tonight’s game against third placed Ammanford with some confidence and looking for Victory.

Well let’s get the bad news out of the way first, we lost 21.23 narrow margins again but we lost a game we could have and some would say should have won.

We scored three tries, they scored one !

We conceded 24 penalties- yes 24- good ref or bad -too many !!

They kicked six penalties- at least two made simpler by a 10 yard walk of shame for dissent !!!

Too many indiscretions, too many voices and another opportunity lost.

Having said that, the game is subjective (more of that later) and whilst everyone has an opinion let’s take a supportive perspective and look at the positives. 

A losing bonus point from a position of at one time being 13 points adrift is a reasonable return and once again from a game of limited territory, particularly in the first half, and consequently limited possession we took the game to the wire put in a much better shift second half and almost snatched Victory from the Jaws of Defeat.

After 15 minutes of predominately Ammanford pressure the first score inevitably went to the visitors as they powered over for the game’s first try closely followed by the first penalty of the evening from No 10 Ryan Williams and an eight-point lead 0. 8

Birch to their credit though kept plugging away and from a rare scrum visit to enemy territory the ever alert Leigh Di’lulio picked up a loose ball. A short pass to Lewis Cox saw him make ground and an offload that looked rehearsed but was a feature of familiarity saw Josh Key in support and over for a try. Ryan Evans added the conversion and we are back in the game 7 - 8 at half time

It was the visitors who started the second half where they left off and with unerring profligacy the referee fed the prestigious and ravenous kicking appetite of the Ammanford 10 Ryan Williams as in quick succession he clocked up not one but four successive penalties to take the game almost beyond reach at 7 - 20.

Birch though, showing the spirit of no surrender, slowly clawed their way up field to within 5 yards of the visitor's line. A quick thinking tap penalty from replacement prop Adam Glover gave hope to the home supporters as he went over with aplomb for the try. Evans converted and 14 - 20 was looking far more respectable.

Ammanford penalty number 6 was not long in coming though and spirits dropped once more at 14. .23. Two scores away and a potential bonus point lost.

But was it really all over? Well no it wasn’t as another hard worked visit to the visiting 22 once again paid dividends as a forward rush saw hooker Dean Davies claim our third try and a Ryan Evans conversion put us within striking distance of the win 21. 23

Could it really happen well we certainly finished with a flourish looking for at least a penalty going carefully through the phases stretching the clock way past the regulation 40 but a mishandled knock on brought the game to an end at 21 .23.

As I said earlier some would say oh another defeat !

 But you can’t fault the resolve and fortitude of any team that recovers from 13 points down a horrendous penalty count, albeit some self-inflicted, and a territorial and possessional disadvantage to earn a point and be in the final play driving seat.

Going back to the game being subjective I had three panel members each offer three candidates for the Man of the Match and they came up with six different names.

The common thread was Josh Key

Congratulations Josh Man of the Match