Fishguard 20 Aberaeron 11

The champagne will need to be put on ice for another season as Aberaeron, seeking the win to strengthen their promotion cause, suffered the agony of defeat at a buoyant Fishguard, to scupper their chances of finishing top of the table and automatic promotion. Needing the five points to keep up with Neyland, there was obvious nervousness from the start as the normal fluent play was conspicuously absent and with the home side determined to gain revenge it was very much a case of playing catchup rugby with the visitors apart from an early penalty always chasing the game. The hosts have led the table for most of the season but some inexplicable fixture chaos, all of their own doing, has led to a congestion at the end of the season which means they will remain in Division 5 next term. Aberaeron on the other hand still harbour thoughts of promotion through the complicated second best options in all seven divisions, and will be desperate to bounce back in the last game of the season away at Furnace. Only the WRU in their wisdom will be able to sort out the permutations, but overall the Parc Drefach side’s impressive performance over the season will hold them in good stead at the final reckoning.
On the night they were second best to a Fishguard side, whose abrasive and contained game was enough to combat the normal champagne rugby the considerable visiting support have been used to seeing. Some excellent kicking from the home outside half was also a major factor as several chances to recover the deficit was thwarted by last gasp defence and the lack of the final killer punch. As it was Aberaeron had to be satisfied with a brace of penalties from full back Iestyn Thomas and a comeback try from lock Alistair Severs, but it was case of forever chasing the game, and as is often the case this can lead to losing shape and normal pattern, and in the end the all important losing bonus point went amiss.
As expected there was considerable disappointment at the final whistle, but all is not lost and focus must now be turned to the finale at Furnace, where a good display is paramount, and who knows, reward may still be possible and just reward for an exciting and rewarding campaign.