When these two sides met in the League just two weeks previously they had been separated by the narrowest of margins in a game when only 12 points were scored in total. That sum was surpassed in just nine minutes on Saturday, the home side taking the early lead and going on to resoundingly beat their Ceredigion visitors.

On arrival Aber were slightly thrown by the referee’s insistence that Cup matches should start at 2pm, and had to make do with just a few minutes to warm up. And the home side wasted no time in demonstrating that they were going to take the tie seriously as they attacked from the off; their lineup included a couple of new faces in the threequarters compared to the previous encounter, and both turned out to be formidable players with a big part to play in the game. Centre Andy Francis made his mark after just four minutes when Aber failed to find touch with a clearance kick; Aber’s defence concentrated on full back Dafydd Lewis who caught the ball, creating half a gap for Francis to exploit and power a full 40 metres to the line for the opening try. Fly half Leighton Walters landed an excellent conversion from wide out. His opposite number Jason Rees retaliated with a 30 metre penalty when Kidwelly were penalised for indiscriminate use of the elbow when fielding the restart, but the seven point lead was restored in the 9^th minute when Walters slotted a 35 metre effort to claim a 10-3 lead.

Aberystwyth produced some positive play to threaten in the Kidwelly half but when given a chance in the 24^th minute, the home backs attacked from just outside their own 22. That attack was stopped, but Kidwelly recycled immediately and Francis again found defenders reluctant to tackle him as he cut through for a second try. Walters converted, as he did seven minutes later when KIdwelly scored their third try, their backs again creating a gap to let wing Chris Moore in for a try. Moore broke loose again just three minutes later and a fourth try after just 34 minutes effectively ended the game as a contest, Kidwelly ahead by 29 points to 3.

The visitors valiantly tried to come back and crossed the Kidwelly line in the 39^th minute, but were deemed guilty of crossing. That move had seen the referee playing advantage from a home transgression on the opposite side of the field, and play returned there. Bizarrely Aber launched exactly the same attack again and wing Ifan Thomas this time did touch down for their opening try. Rees converted excellently from the flank and thoughts of an improbable comeback from 29-10 formed. But within a minute those were dashed when Kidwelly repossessed from the restart and Francis again broke through to claim his hat trick. Walters landed the kick to make it 36-10 at the break.

It was a tall order for the visitors but they started the second half very positively. The Aber pack won a reset scrum near the Kiwelly line by turning the home scrum a quarter of a turn, but lost possession subsequently. Kidwelly’s clearance kick however went straight into the hands of Aber wing Richard Read, and he handed out to fellow threequarter Llywarch ap Myrddin who crossed for his side’s second try. Rees converted to make it 26-17 after 43 minutes. Five minutes later however Moore dashed Aber hopes again with a try in the left corner, and Walters salted the wound with a touchline conversion to make it 43-17.  But Aber came back again and when Kidwelly centre Richard Watts was dispossessed by two flying Aber attackers when catching a high ball, Aber scrum half Ifan Beynon-Thomas was on hand to take the ball, and he duly fed Rees to add Aber’s third try in the corner. The fly half converted his own score from the 15 metre tramline and the score read 43-24 to the home side.

There was a full 27 minutes to go but Aber found it difficult to make any more inroads. It was a much more efficient performance from the home side, and a 25 metre penalty from Walters in the 66^th minute put his side at least four scores clear and out of sight. The last word also went to Francis in the 82^nd minute when he supported Walters in a counter from inside the Aber 22, and he claimed Kidwelly’s eighth try to bring up the half century. Walters converted and Kidwelly were the very deserving winners on the day by 53 points to 24.

Aber have a break next week as the Six Nations campaign gets under way, but return to League action at Plascrug on Saturday week when they entertain Maesteg.

Alan Jones