Swalec Bowl – Fifth round

Pyle 31 Cwmgors 28

Cwmgors thought they had claimed victory in a rip-roaring Swalec Bowl fifth round tie when outstanding wing Lloyd Watson gathered up quickly-secured ruck ball to dart through under the posts.

But thinking the game was won, the Cherries switched off for the restart and saw the ball the snatched away through a sloppy turnover and with it went their quarter-final place as Pyle’s excellent centre piled forward to grab the victory with the very last play of the game.

The home support acknowledged that their well-drilled front eight had been given their hardest workout of an excellent season by a super Cwmgors pack effort.

The visitors had opened the scoring early on when a neat crossfield kick from outside-half Steff Rees gave Watson the chance to chase and gather before notching the first of his brace.

A few loose passes were to cost Cwm dearly, and were ultimately to prove the difference as Pyle capitalised on the visitors’ errors to snatch two first half tries.

However, a couple of Steff Rees penalties were enough to retrieve the Cwmgors lead before half-time as the visitors went into the interval 11-10 to the good, but Pyle’s two touchdowns would be telling by full-time.

Cwm’s pack stood up to a big home eight, particularly in the second half when they found themselves on the back foot for the first time this season.

But a converted try soon after the break gave Pyle a 17-11 lead before Rees’ third penalty reduced the arrears.

The hosts grabbed another try, but back came the Cherries once again with the visiting pack cranking up the pressure and forcing the juggernaut Pyle eight to drop several scrums before the referee lost patience and awarded the penalty try.

It was nip and tuck throughout, but Cwm had much pressure on the home try-line before their late Watson score seemed to have won it.

The match could truly have gone either way and Cwmgors can count themselves unfortunate.

The Cherries, who lost the leadership of Division Four South West following Nantyffyllon’s victory at the weekend, return to the bread and butter of league action with a home fixture against Bridgend Sports on Saturday.