10:18am Wednesday 7th May 2008
Amman United earned a crucial victory in their last match this season, beating local neighbours Cwmgors at Cwmamman Park.
However they were narrowly denied a bonus point in their bid to stave off relegation and now have to wait on other results.
A very entertaining local-derby began with young scrum half Ceirion Jones slotting an early penalty.
It was a shortlived lead, as his opposite-number Joel Foster-one of Amman's players of the season-levelled matters with a penalty of his own.
A ding-dong half saw Foster make it 6-3 on 12 minutes, but Jones' penalty soon made it 6-6.
With young guns Iwan Davies and Rob James again impressing in the pack, United went ahead with the opening try.
After a speculative chip-ahead, wing Jamie Davies took advantage of a slightly lucky bounce and strode in to dive over for a try, converted by Foster.
Cwmgors were making far too many basic errors, and Foster again punished them with a further penalty following a high-tackle on Jamie Davies.
Indiscipline cost the Cherries once again, a deliberate knock-on from an Amman attack penalised, Foster's radar again spot-on and Amman stretched the lead to 19-6. Following a spot of foul play directly in front of the referee, Cwm again shot themselves in the foot, and Foster again slotted.
Ceirion Jones' third penalty success gave Cwm a glimmer of hope on the stroke of halftime.
Amman began to play more expansively in the second-half, although the next score came from a Cwmgors attack.
Turnover-ball went to Amman and wing Gavin Madge put in full-back Dean Williams for the try.
Amman were now getting on top, and some more solid forward play paved the way for substitute Kelvin Green to crash over from close-range, Foster converting.
Stuart Herbert had a few late foraging runs as the visitors' defence was stretched to its limit but, as hard as Amman tried for the fourth bonus-point earning try, they were shut out for the remainder of the match by a resilient Cwmgors defence.
For the visitors, Carl Carter was lively throughout on the wing, while skipper Richard Gregg did well in the lineouts.
Matchball sponsors were Adrian Brown (Painters), Roger and Steve (Raven Garage), The A-Team, and Cwmni-Mega.
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