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Aberavon v Coventry MatchPack : Report
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This was a second home defeat to a division one club from England in a meaningful match, although it was played as three 25-minute periods and one in which Aberavon used 14 replacements. Some of these players are not likely to be seen in the league just yet. Certainly, there were young players who will have benefited from the experience, but they will have to wait in the wings for at least another season.
The step-up to senior rugby is a massive one and if the Welsh Rugby Union really think there should be an Under-21 league, then there will be few spectators who would turn up to support such a situation.
It was another bad result for Aberavon, who had to give second-best for most of the match to a full professional outfit.
Paul Bamsey was moved into a new position at fly half and hardly put a foot wrong, giving a whole-hearted performance, but there was little penetration in midfield.
Ashley Beck looks the real deal, but still will have to prove it this season, while wings Steve Davies and Richard Carter are as good a pair as there is in the Welsh Premiership.
However, Aberavon were firing blanks too often, although flanker Chris Davies stood out in the pack with some big hits.
There are big doubts at lock and in the back row with a lack of a penetrative edge behind the scrum and not a goalkicker in sight.
Coventry's former Llanelli prop David Maddocks was sidelined, but Tom Slater from Beddau was at scrum-half.
Coventry centre Ron McLean scored a try, conversion and penalty and then converted a runaway try by New Zealander Laurence McGlone, a newcomer at No 8.
Aberavon scored just before the end when Bamsey and Beck came through and full-back Chris Lewis burst over.
Both Steve Davies and Chris Davies went close, but it has not been a good month so far for Aberavon who travel to Maesteg on Saturday.
Howard Evans
| Report from the |
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Starting XV: Chris Lewis; Richard Carter, Richard Thomas,
Ashley Beck, Steve Davies; Paul Bamsey, David Pritchard; Lloyd Howell,
Marc Breeze, Paul Breeze, Ian Moore (capt), Nathan White, Darryl Thomas,
Rory Gallagher, James Davies.
Referee: Gwyn Morris
Match Type: 3 periods of 25 mins.
1st Period
16 min: T & C - Coventry (0 - 7)
2nd Period
No score
3rd Period
10 min: PG - Coventry (0 - 10)
17 min: T & C - Coventry (0 - 17)
19 min: T - Chris Lewis (5 - 17)
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