The scene was set on Saturday for this Mid Wales derby in the 2^nd Division to celebrate the latest development in Builth’s rugby structure. Their new floodlight installation has been completed, and a 3.15 kick off was arranged so that they could be put to full use before the end.

That duly took place but a later end was further assured when, about a quarter of the way into the match play was delayed for six minutes for the pitch to be cleared of potential contamination due to a local canine.

It was a well attended match, Builth supporters in the main with a smaller than usual travelling contingent from the seaside. They were duly treated to an opening period dominated by the visitors and during this time Aber should really have made the match theirs.  Their first chance came after just four minutes; a 30 metre penalty attempt from fly half Llywarch ap Myrddin rebounded off the crossbar, but the chasing Richard Read was on hand to pouch it. The winger propelled himself towards the tryline but, unfortunately for the light and dark blues, he lost the ball in the process. The Aber pack disrupted the ensuing scrum earning a reset with their put in; that scrum however saw Aber penalised and the pressure was off Builth. Aber attacked unrepentantly and a superb break by full back Sion Summers just inside the home half took play along the left touchline, passed outside, but the  attack were not patient enough to finish it off, being penalised for illegal handling at the breakdown.  Two clear chances gone, but Aber kept on attacking; the momentum was delayed by the cleansing interruption, but when play restarted they fell foul of the referee again when once again their front row were bizarrely penalised at their own scrum, metres short of the line. It is a great curiosity why any pack would do this.

Builth then seized the chance to try attacking themselves and in the 26^th minute were awarded a penalty 38 metres from the Aber line. Fly half Luke Offa made no mistake with the kick and the home side found themselves ahead,  totally against the run of play. Five minutes later Aber had a great chance to level things 25 metres out but lack of communication between half backs and threequarters saw the latter ahead of the ball when a quick penalty was taken, and another chance was totally wasted. Four minutes after that however Builth were similarly penalised in centre field and a searching line kick from ap Myrddin gave Aber a lineout eight metres from the Builth line with their own throw. Possession was secured and the pack organised themselves quickly and efficiently, and patiently pushed their opponents back over their own line where hooker Gareth Flynn touched down for an excellent try 10 metres in from touch. A very good conversion from ap Myrddin gave Aber a deserved 7-3 lead.

The match had been a niggly affair, constantly interrupted by the whistle and for injuries. Despite repeated violations of the same laws and instances of callous elbowing and punches thrown, the game had not seen the referee’s yellow card, firmer and earlier use of which could certainly have improved the game. There were frequent lectures however and one such for yet more illegal handling at the breakdown by the home team eventually brought the first half to a close, a full 53 minutes after it had started. Aber were fully worth their lead, local supporters admitting that there had been but one team in it.

Aber kicked off the second half, Builth returned it, and Aber were immediately penalised at an ensuing breakdown. The kick was unsuccessful but the visitors ran at their opponents from that restart; all almost went pear shaped when a long pass out from ap Myrddin was intercepted by Builth wing John Thurston who had an almost clear run. ap Myrddin however gave chase and did exceptionally well to foil the winger metres short of the line. But Builth had a 5 metre scrum and as they spun the ball out they took play perilously close to the Aber line in the area of the posts. In the ensuing melee Aber were reduced to 14 men when the referee finally found his yellow card, Ifan Thomas being desperately unlucky to be the recipient for his first illegal handling. It was almost inevitable that Builth would cross the Aber tryline and, minutes later lock Wayne Morris was the tryscorer when the pack marauded over the line. Offa’s conversion gave his side a 10-3 lead after just 10 minutes of the first half. It was nip and tuck for a long time but the shrill blast of the whistle kept stopping the game, Aberystwyth on the wrong end of a staggering imbalance in the penalty count. Aber’s physio was also in danger of running out of head bandages as the injuries kept coming. The Builth pack improved their performance in the second half, but Aber’s superiority up front was thwarted for them for the second game in a row when scrums went passive. But the home side continued to keep Aber out until the 32^nd minute of the half when it was Builth’s turn to see the yellow card for the same offence again. Aber launched themselves desperately at the Builth defence and were rewarded with a penalty when the home threequarters stood offside. Aber’s ap Myrddin levelled the scores as the referee declared 4 minutes plus injury time remaining.

On balance 10-10 would probably have been a fair result, but it was not to be Aber’s day. Builth launched an attack towards the right; when the whistle went yet again it was unclear why. There had been a distinct hint of crossing, but the finger pointed against Aber. To make things worse the referee took umbrage at Aber’s protestations and the extra 10 metres was given. It was a difficult touchline kick and there was a deathly hush around the Groe, with even a break in the air traffic that had made the showground resemble a heliport all afternoon. But Offa kept his nerve and slotted the best kick of the day. Even more cruelly injury time was forgotten as the final shrill blast signalled the end of the game.

Aber should have won this game but a draw would have been fair punishment for their missed chances. They will be bitterly disappointed by the defeat and must now pick themselves up to face high flyers Cwmllynfell at Plascrug on Saturday to finish off the first half of the season.

 

Alan Jones