Caernarfon were not expected to pose much of a threat to a much heralded Neath side. However as they were without a number of star players due to national squad commitments this Cup encounter became an enthralling second half tussle with Neath relieved to cling on to win.
The early exchanges favoured Neath by being able to keep the Cofis camped within their own half through good incisive driving and communication. It took eight minutes to open the scoring, when from a scrum close to the home line, flanker Lisa Jones was able to collect the ball and extend her long arms to ground beyond the whitewash. Bethan Preece added the conversion.
The tackling of hooker Mary Atkinson had already stopped a certain try and together with props Emma Edwards and Cenin Eifion a standard had been set for others to follow as regards defensive duties. By not gaining as much success through the forwards Neath decided to try their luck out wide and had in centre Karen Mayze the one class player to unlock any defence.
On 20 minutes an angled run and collection allowed her to break the cover and stroll in from the 22. Yet again with the half drawing to a close she fielded a miss-directed clearance kick and with the defence in disarray she was able to wrong foot the cover and score her second try. Preece once again added the extras.
The Cofis to their credit had concentrated their efforts on driving through the forwards and had kept the Neath fringe defence busy throughout. With pressure mounting, penalties were conceded and livewire scrum half Keeley Evans who played on the edge throughout, was yellow carded for persistent infringement.
Caernarfon seized their chance and drove at the heart of the defence from a series of elected scrums. Elin Royle, making her debut at scrum half, began to relish having ball in hand as did Rhian Gwawr at No 8 and it was from one such charge from another penalty that Nia Thomas was found on the inside shoulder to duly open the Cofi account as the half came to a close.
Caernarfon’s mini revival was again halted when good link play and a fine angled run by Mayze from midfield saw her again cross for a converted try after five minutes of the second period. This 21 point gap appeared to be insurmountable but the Cofi spirit came to the fore. A hack on up field led to confusion in the Neath rear-guard and the persistence of Annes Sion led to tireless Isi Rees snapping up the loose ball to canter clear and score.
Alaw Davies on her return from Down Under was the next to spot a gap and scarper clear and although she was brought down close to the line, Rhian Gwawr’s recycling freed Rhian Alaw to score out wide but within range of the suppliers conversion attempt.
At this point there was no indication of the drama to follow over the final 10 minutes, a long clearance kick was fielded by makeshift fullback Lauren Hassett deep in her own 22 and she set off on a long looping run that saw her out strip the cover to complete a spectacular 80 meter try that was duly converted by Rhian Gwawr.
With victory apparently within their grasp the Cofis marched forward but one spilt ball at scrum time once again found its way to Karen Mayze who did her customary deed of sprinting clear to add a much needed seven pointer for Neath with Bethan Preece’s conversion.
At the death one last Cofi onslaught saw them put pressure once again on the Neath try line and following a series of pickups and drives Ceris Davies succeeded to ground to the referees satisfaction amongst a pile of tired bodies.
With the Cup competition arranged on a league type basis both clubs are due to meet again around Easter and it would be remarkable if a similar entertaining encounter could be served.
