Reigning champions Torfaen Tigers and league newcomers Aber Valley Wolves shared the spoils in what was very much a game of two halves at Senghenydd RFC on Saturday July 12.
The Tigers dominated early on as they crossed for tries through fullback Ryan Evans and front rowers Fraser Young and Craig Price, Luke Brown adding two goals to give them a 14-0 half time lead.
The visitors continued their dominance early in the second half as captain Louie Pengelly and centre Jack Watkins both crossing for tries, Brown converting both, to take the score to 26-0 to the visitors on the hour mark.
With the game seemingly in the bag, for the second time this season, the Tigers imploded in the final quarter.
To their credit the Wolves stuck at it and, aided by field position, gained from Tigers’ ill-discipline. They set about mounting an unlikely comeback, crossing for tries through Jacob Wright, Lloyd Rowlands and a brace for Alun Ford.
Ford converted all four to cut the Tigers lead to 26-24 with a minute to play. Tigers’ livewire hooker Ryan Bates was then controversially penalised for moving off the mark when he had seemingly not been held and Ford kicked the penalty from 45 metres to tie the scores and send the race for first place into the final week of the season.
Report by Rob Davies.