Fixture

The travels across Wales undertaken by Brecon Athletic have been well documented in recent months, with the focus of those reports indicating how the team has had to respond to the struggles faced in securing fixtures for this talented group of players. The lack of a current meaningful and structured competition has kept the Team Manager, Gari Davies, very busy in terms of seeking clubs who would be available, and willing, to provide opposition, particularly of a standard to offer appropriate challenges to his young end exciting charges.

Recent visits have taken in areas beyond the southern boundaries of the Bannau Brycheiniog, as the squad had travelled to the eastern valleys, home to some of the former hard industrial heartlands of South Wales, and location of some formidable opponents on the playing fields. The latest venture saw the team bus, with a squad of some 27 excited players, and some equally buoyant supporters, head in a more westerly direction, down the A40, to the western reaches of the Parc Cenedlaethol, and also to the verdant and rich farming areas of the Tywi Valley, this being home to the longest river in Cymru, and also an area that comes with a proud rugby history. It is an area that has an extensive dairy farming history, and this was reflected by the former Creamery that existed in the village, itself being named after Saint Cadog, providing a key source of local employment over many years.

The clubs have strong links as players have moved between Mid and West Wales over the years, although the league structures had never seen an opportunity for regular competitive fixtures. Notwithstanding that, the teams have enjoyed a recent history of some close contests on the playing surface, and the travelling band were very conscious of the challenge that lay ahead. Whilst the home team don’t have the same lengthy history as the visiting Brecon team, a visit to their impressive club, and scrutiny of their memorabilia, was indicative of a small village club that has been ‘punching well above its weight’ in terms of the playing successes of a number of their members over the years.

The recent wet weather raised concern that, in an area that is defined by the river and its impacts in heavy rain, the playing surface at Llangadog Community Field, would provide a particular heavy challenge to both teams. It was therefore pleasing to be met with a great playing surface, relatively firm underfoot and with a good covering of grass, that augured well for the match ahead. It was a cold day, with a setting winter sun proving to be a factor in the quality of play, although the proximity of the impressive clubhouse, with viewing balcony, afforded an opportunity to the visiting supporters to provide an elevated and informed view of the game as it panned out.

What they were able to report was that, as with previous hard fought games between the two sides, it was a game of great commitment, and no little skill, that ebbed and flowed for the whole eighty minutes. Brecon started with the sun at their backs and enjoyed an early period of dominance as they carried strongly with the ball in hand, although they were met with an equally determined and steely defensive effort from the home team. The roles were reversed for the middle period of the first, and Llangadog enjoyed more time with the ball in hand. They attacked primarily through the narrow channels, and this proved to be a real test for the defensive resilience of the young Brecon team.

The home players, whilst not necessarily large in stature, very much like their opponents, proved to be very strong in the contact area, and their period of dominance was built very strongly on that. Given the relentless pressure they exerted on this period, it was somewhat inevitable that they eventually forced their way over the line for the first score of the game.

Brecon responded to this setback well, and became the more incisive team for the remainder of the first half. They exerted their own lengthy periods of pressure, with man of the match Davie Herdman prominent, and were rewarded with a try for tireless skipper Josh Millichap, with the conversion of Louie Crockett allowing Brecon to turn around at half time with a 5-7 lead.

The second period provide to be similar in how it transpired, as both teams managed to enjoy a period of having the upper hand, only to see this turn on its head at various times. This was reflected in the exchange of scores that saw both teams gain, then lose the lead, with impressive scrum half Sammy Hellard, crowing an influential performance with a try of his own.

This switching of dominance, both on the playing surface and also the score board, saw the home team claim a further 10 points of their own which meant that they led by three points as the game moved towards the final whistle. Brecon became somewhat rushed in their efforts to come back but eventually settled to play a period of controlled rugby that saw Bryn Nicholl make some impressive yards with a strong drive, from which the ball was released to the back line to run at a retreating defensive line. Full back Dafydd Edwards joined the move to create space with a floated pass to Luis Price that saw him crash over for what would be the decisive score of the game.

Llangadog restarted with very little time left to play, and some errors in the form of a string of penalties by Brecon, afforded an opportunity for the Llangadog Fly Half, who had kicked impressively through the game, to land a potentially match winning penalty with the last kick of the game. The ball started on a trajectory towards bisecting the uprights, but faded to the left at the last second to deny the home team and to provide Brecon with what, at the end of the day, was a hard fought for victory.

Whilst the group would have been pleased with the result, particularly given that they were up against a team that plays in Division 3 of the national league structure, they would have been disappointed with certain elements of the performance. Whilst the festive period meant that a few cobwebs would have to blown away, the visitors were still guilty of a number of errors, both in terms of executing their skills, and also in giving away unnecessary penalties.

Nevertheless, it remains an important win for this group of players, who, with commitment to training and working hard on improving their skills and fitness, will earn rewards in terms of playing standards, and selection, as they build on their obvious rugby playing qualities.

Whilst the game was a ‘friendly’ in name, it was nothing less that wholly committed and competitive, with both teams impressing on the day. The referee, Charlie Evans of Carmarthen, was overheard commenting on the level of desire and commitment shown by both teams and, as ever, both clubs are grateful to him for his own commitment to undertaking what can prove to be a thankless task, but one which is absolutely necessary for the continuance of the game. Diolch Charlie!