WRU Bowl
Aberaeron 29 Usk 15
Aberaeron kept their dream of a showdown at the Principality Stadium alive after they reached the quarter finals of the WRU Bowl with a hard fought win over division three east A outfit Usk.
The Seagulls who will be entering uncharted territory in the next round will be keeping their fingers crossed for a home tie but they will be confident of beating any remaining side on the day.
This win was based on a disciplined and organised defence as Usk came at them through their heavy set of forwards in the opening half hour. The visitors took the game to Aberaeron and the hosts found it difficult to escape from their own half for this period, but the visitors only reward came from a penalty by Josh Guy.
However the restart signalled a major turnaround in fortunes and for the first time the home eight started to dominate and within minutes the tide had turned with a series of rolling mauls threatening the Usk try line.
The pressure finally told following a concerted effort by the likes of front rowers Alex Danton and Owain Wozencraft allowing second row Gethin Hughes to extend his long arms over the whitewash.
The versatile Rhodri Thomas playing in his third positional spot this year calmly stroked over the conversion and minutes later burly scrum half Gareth James barged his way over for the second score a to leave what initially seemed an unlikely 12-3 score line at the break.
The hosts upped the tempo in the second half as the visitors tired and dominated proceedings and never really looked at being at risk of being overhauled. With the Llewelyn brothers threatening on the counter attack a quick release provided Tom Slinger with an opening and from half way the centre brushed aside several tacklers to cross near the posts allowing Thomas an easy conversion.
Usk though refused to throw the towel in and took full advantage of a breakdown in play on half way and gave themselves a glimmer of hope with a surge which resulted in a well worked try by Andre Peggington converted by Guy. Any hopes of a comeback were soon dashed when Thomas stroked over a penalty and this was followed by the best sequence of the game when the back row of Tudur Jenkins and Aaron Lewis combined to allow fellow flanker and man of the match Dan Lewis to stroll over the line.
Thomas added the conversion to kill the game but it was Usk who had the final say with a late consolation try.
Great pics from Nick Hermann-Aberaeron RFC
