Fixture

Following last week’s Cup success at Gorseinon, it was back to League action today as Birchgrove travelled to take on Ammanford.

It was the home side who were quicker in to the action as they looked to impose themselves upon the visitors. But after soaking up some early pressure it was Birch who were to take the lead with Scrum half Scott Gibson on hand to finish off some neat handling and with the conversion from Matthew Edwards go 0 – 7 in front.

The home team though full of enthusiasm didn’t take too long to bounce back as a smart back row move allowed their No 7 Carwyn Morris in for an equalising try 7 -7.

Birch  bounced back with a further penalty from the reliable boot of Edwards 7 -10  and Josh Jarret, Ryan Evans and Lee Purnell combining to gain a further long distance shot at goal which just dropped short. Ammanford though were picking up the pace and some aggressive defence with Leigh Di’ulio, Liam Richards , Tom Downing and skipper Rhys Morgan showing up well was required to keep the home side at bay.

The defensive wall was eventually to crack though as the home backs combined to offer speedy full back Ellis Lewis an opportunity to race in for a try converted by Ryan Williams and a 14 – 10 lead. The game continued to see saw for the rest of the half with an exchange of penalties taking the game evenly poised in to half time at 17 – 13 to the hosts.

It was Ammanford who were first to bother the scorer in the second half as Ellis Lewis neatly avoided the visiting defence to cross for his second try again aided and abetted by Williams to take the score to 24 -13.

Never short on effort the Birch boys once again galvanised themselves and with Di’ulio and Purnell combining got themselves in to an attacking position choosing to go for touch from a kickable penalty position. Although unable to control the resultant line out and  lose  the initial advantage the visitors were able to regroup and Purnell was unlucky not to get a score as he was held up over the line.

Continued pressure was to prevail though as a second penalty won from the drop out on this occasion saw the line out ball scrambled back and combined backs and forward pressure saw Dylan Worth on a pin ball bouncing run to the line with an offload giving Lee Purnell a try which with an easy conversion for Edwards put Birch back in the reckoning at 24 – 20.

With the game now evenly set the next score was looking crucial and with Birch having turned down a kickable option it was Ammanford with fresh legs on who were now looking the more potent. A smart counter attack was to be our eventual undoing as full back Ellis Jenkins raced in to complete his hat trick of tries and with the conversion and a further two penalties from No 10 Williams 37 – 20 was looking ominous.

To their credit though Birch stuck at it and a final try from Lee Purnell and Edwards conversion narrowed the gap to 37 - 27 .

So we have our first defeat of the season on our hands but in the words of backs Coach Scott Gibson after the game “It was a frustrating experience and lost on small things not going in our favour”. So we re group and as has always been our way face up to the next challenge at Skewen next week with optimism and confidence.

MAN OF THE MATCH

This week’s panel (who shall of course remain anonymous) came up with the following candidates :_

1. Lee Purnell, who once again was peerless in leading from the front and his overall game control
2. Jake Randall for his go forward attitude in attack and fortitude in defence
3. Leigh Di’ulio who once again has shown his commitment to the cause in offering a sterling out of position performance.

THE WINNER IS – LEIGH DI’ULIO

I WILL NOW BE AWAY FOR THE NEXT THREE GAMES SPENDING MY CHILDREN’S INHERITANCE BUT WILL DO MY BEST COURTESY OF THE WONDERS OF TECHNOLOGY TO KEEP YOU UPDATED ON RESULTS AND PUBLISH ACTION PHOTOS FROM JEFF MILES.