Fixture

Aberavon Quins 33 v 15 Maesteg Celtic

Maesteg Celtic travelled to fellow relegation side Aberavon Quins for their first game in Division Two of the WRU West Central League. The Celtic team had many changes from last season. Prop Simon Lent returned to the front row, while flankers Rhys Bevan Jones and Peter Kehoe played in the second row. Number eight Rhodri Bwye returned from Maesteg Quins, with centre Lee Arthur on the flank. Outside half Scott Sainsbury returned after some years away from the game with a new partnership of full back Scott James and wing Sam Mines in the centre.

Celtic kicked off and dominated play in the first twenty minutes. Scott Sainsbury opened the scoring with a penalty which was cancelled out immediately by the Quins. Celtic put pressure on the home defence from the restart with forward dominance. A scrum near the home line gave replacement number eight Ryan Jones the opportunity to charge at the Quins line. Quick ball to scrum half Leon Evans gave him the opportunity to put hooker Morgan Reeves over in the corner. Sainsbury converted. Quins responded with a try from the kick off.

The referee red carded a Quins’ forward for violent play and yellow carded a Celtic player for retaliation. Quins took the lead from a try scored as a result of an excellent kick and chase. Another Celtic player was yellow carded for a late tackle.

The second half was dominated by Aberavon Quins and they scored two penalties and two tries. Celtic scored a consolation try in the last minutes of the game. Wing Christian Jenkins cut through the home defence and took the ball into their 22 where he was illegally stopped. Hooker Reeves took a quick penalty and charged to the posts. The ball was quickly recycled and Sainsbury threw a long pass to Man of the Match flanker Ryan Turner who touched down in the corner.