Following report by Gary Williams, The Oval Zone
A disastrous start for Nant. Just over one minute on the clock, a break down the touchline allowing winger Joshua Congreve to give Brynmawr the perfect start, touching down in the corner, well converted by Geraint Langdon and a dream start and a lead of 7-0 to the Mawr.
Stung by this early setback, Nant showed what their nifty backs are capable of and concerted pressure resulted in winger Jack Moriarty forcing his way over out wide after five minutes. The conversion attempt was wide giving a scoreline of 7-5.
After this early scoring spree, the game settled and Nant started to show what they can do with the ball in hand, spreading it wide at every opportunity and keeping the ball away from the bigger Brynmawr forwards who showed their power, driving Nant back yards in the scrum.
The first ten minutes were full of big hits as both sides sounded each other out and an unfortunate injury to a Brynmawr player meant a lengthy stoppage before the teams picked up the pace again.
Nant looked full of running and were finding the gaps in the Brynmawr defence who were having to defend like demons deep in their own half.
Nant's pick and drive game by their forwards was causing all sorts of problems in the Mawr defence and there was little they could do to prevent number eight, Carwyn Ellis, slicing through the defence to score under the posts. Arthur Lennon converted and, after a disappointing first couple of minutes, Nant were in the driving seat and leading 7-12 after 15 minutes.
Three minutes later and again the Nant backs let loose, with scrum half Cai Jones, sidesteppeing half the Brynmawr defence to score under the posts. Again, Lennon scored the easy conversion and Nant were in heaven at 7-19 with a quarter of the game played.
The Brynmawr forwards showed again after twenty four minutes what a threat they were in the set pieces and a tremendous drive in the scrum allowed them to win the ball and work it out wide for Joshua Congreve to squeeze over again in the corner for his second try of the game and reduce the deficit to 12-19.
There was an intriguing battle developing as Nant wanted to run everything and Mawr wanted to tuck the ball up their jumpers and walk it up the field.
With the half hour mark approaching, Brynmawr were enjoying their 'second wind' and making the hard yards as their forwards drove forward. It looked ominous for Nant as they struggled to contain the opposition forwards at a scrum near their line and the inevitable score when number eight Craig Fillier powered over to touch down, converted by Daniel Butler and we were back to a level game at 19-19.
Back came Nant and again, it was their backs running everything that was striking panic in the Brynmawr defence, eventually leading to an indiscretion in front of the posts, allowing Arthur Lennon to regain the lead for Nant at 19-22 as half time approached.
With half time imminent it was Brynmawr who had the last word when, again, their forwards pounded the Nant defence who eventually could do nothing to prevent hooker Daniel Wall picking up from a yard out and powering over for the all-important score to regain the lead at 24-22.
Nant showed what they are capable of in the first forty minutes when they put the ball through hands and would have gone in at half time hoping that the big Brynmawr forwards would struggle to last the pace in the second period.
Nant rang the changes at the interval with Rob Parry replacing prop Gwynfor Morris and Eifion Roberts replacing Gareth Davies at number seven.
Brynmawr started the second half as they ended the first, this time number eight Craig Fillier touching down after some great play by his fellow forwards and increasing the lead to 29-22 just four minutes in to the half.
Whilst Nant were wary of the forwards, the Brynmawr backs showed that they could also pose a threat as they looked dangerous, making inroads with some slick passing.
With fifteen minutes of the second period having been played, Nant were looking dangerous when they had the ball but too often they were having to run from deep in their own half, allowing Brynmawr's defence time to regroup and maintain the upper hand.
With an hour on the clock, desperate defending by Nant close to their line resulted in a penalty for Brynmawr who turned down an easy three points in favour of a quick tap which Nant's scrambling defence brought to a halt. Brynmawr now had their tails up and were looking to get that next all-important score.
Pressure was beginning to tell as Nant gave away a number of penalties close to their line, resulting in the referee issuing a final warning.
There was nothing the Nant pack could do to prevent the Brynmawr forwards, at a scrum, trundling over the line allowing number eight, Craig Fillier, to drop on the ball to score his third try of the game, converted by Daniel Butler, to give their side a commanding 36-22 lead.
From the restart, Brynmawr gathered the ball and some slack defending by Nant allowed the opposition to run almost the length of the field to score under the posts, again converted by Daniel Butler and an increased lead of 43-22.
Unexpectedly, it was Nant at this point who were looking the more jaded of the two sides and Brynmawr, sniffing blood, starting to run the ball at every opportunity.
With time running out, Nant threw everything in to attack and gained their reward when replacement Caron Davies wriggled over to score under the posts, converted by Arthur Lennon, to reduce the deficit to 43-29 with seven minutes remaining.
Brynmawr, however, were straight back on the offensive and a superb finish in the corner by flying winger, Joshua Congreve, his third try of the game, converted by Daniel Butler, meant that they had reached the half century mark and a scoreline of 50-29.
As full time neared, it was Brynmawr who were in full flow, with some great defence by Nant preventing them increasing their score. A disappointing final scoreline for Nant but they gave their all against a very competent Brynmawr side who played to their strengths and, after scoring tries, either side of half time, never let their momentum slip and ran out deserved winners.
Nant will travel home with their heads held high, their achievement in getting to this final once again cannot be underestimated and hopefully, they, and other North Wales teams, will be back here performing in the Principality, very soon.
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