Fixture

Currently in form and table toppers Skewen were at Ynysydarren on the 19^th September.

The visitors kicked off towards the Swansea end, their first attack being stopped by a penalty. The solid Ystalyfera pack were scrummaging and rucking the ball well from the start, penalties being awarded for illegal Skewen tackles. This bore fruit after four minutes when ‘Fera full back Emyr Myers stroked over from the middle of the field  3 – 0. Referee being consistent awarded a return penalty two minutes later, kicked over by the Skewen outside half Anthony Prushelli  3 – 3. Having now warmed up the visitors put in a determined attack from the re-start, feeding the ball out wide where full back Gareth Morris cut inside for the first try after eight minutes  3 – 8. Serious pressure now ensued by the league leaders, and whilst Ystalyfera attempted to counter, a turnover ball from a scrum allowed a breakthrough by flanker Richard Davies, who scored the second try on the quarter-hour. This was converted  3 – 15. Big effort was now made by the home side, unluckily being denied a clear chance at the Skewen try-line. A stoppage took place in the twenty-third minute when ‘Fera centre Ashley Carter suffered a cut eye. The visitors took the opportunity to carry out a clean text-book move and ran in their third try in the 28^th minute, effected by centre Cameron Morris. This was also converted lifting the score to  3 – 22 before Ashley returned to restore parity of player numbers. Ystalyfera now raised their physicality, Discipline became an issue with a spate of penalties for both sides. Lock Jesse Patton was yellow carded in the thirty ninth minute for a high tackle, and from the resulting scrum Skewen moved the ball for winger Mark Harvey to run in the fourth bonus try under the posts – converted.  Half time score finished at  3 – 29.  

Ystalyfera kicked off the second half and began well, keeping themselves in contention against the very well organised Skewen side. The ‘Fera forwards asserted themselves up front, this raising a level of frustration amongst the visiting pack. The game progressed in the Skewen half of the field Ystalyfera attempting to make headway, but the visitors appeared experienced. ln the sixty first minute the away full back Gareth Morris forced his way through after a break out and touched down his second Try. This was converted  3 – 36. Ystalyfera were not giving up and the leaders seemed content to defend. On seventy minutes ‘Fera hooker Robat White was sin binned for over aggressive play. The resulting scrum saw Skewen run through for a try by winger Jordan Adeley. This was converted  3 – 43. 

In the last minute the Skewen No8 was yellow carded. This summed up the pressure that the Ystalyfera forwards had exerted in the second half, but to no avail against the very well organised and structured Skewen side – deserved winners.