03/02/2025
Report by Ken Watkins
Admiral National League Division 1 East Central
Barry RFC 31 Abercwmboi 34
A late, late penalty left Barry frustrated, and Abercwmboi last-gasp winners, just as they had been when the sides met at Aberaman Park earlier in the season. The scores were level when the clock went into the red, and a lack of discipline in the closing minutes was to prove costly.
Barry had taken the lead, for the first time in the match, five minutes from the end. Ahead 31-26, the Bombers needed to focus on keeping possession and running the clock down. Instead, as coach Marc Devine said afterwards, it was a case of “misplaced passes and a poor throw in”, and Abercwmboi took advantage.
The visitors levelled the scores with a try in the last minute, the conversion from out wide was off target, and there were sighs of relief all round, only for hopes to be dashed as that late penalty pinched victory for the visitors at the death.
Penalties certainly proved costly, with Barry conceding more than their visitors, although the reasons were not always clearly indicated. The Bombers scored five tries to Abercwmboi’s four, but Aaron Bolitho’s four penalties proved the crucial difference.
“We threw it away, didn’t we,” said Devine. “Everything we spoke about before the game –play the phases, stick to the game plan, don’t let it go to your heads – but after our fifth try we needed to settle, keep possession.”
That final try, a tap and go eventually finished off by Alyn Evans, he felt showed signs of Barry’s growing maturity as they “just went through the phases”.
The defeat, he said, was “disappointing, but the positive is that it’s a young side, and they will learn from this. These are the type of games that, a year down the line, when we are at the same place, in January up in Abercynon or wherever, are the ones we are going to win.”
Victor Corrihons scored tries in the 25th and last minute of the first half, the first after pressure following a catch and drive, the second set up by Jake Williams, Corrihons finishing with a strong swerving run. Jack Davies converted the latter, and the 33rd minute try from Dafydd Jones, set up by a catch and drive.
Evan Prosser got the bonus point try in the 62nd minute, finishing off a breakaway after Abercwmboi lost possession deep in Barry’s 22, Davies converting to close the deficit to 22-24.
But the visitors scored at regular intervals, and with Barry down to 14 for the dying minutes, that five-point lead after their fifth try was, almost predictably, not enough.
Abercwmboi: tries – Aled Morgan (16 minutes), Owen Jenkins (21, 41, 79); conv – Aaron Bolitho 1 (21); pen – Bolitho 4 (30, 50, 55, 80).