Garn go down fighting at St Albans (From Free Press Series)

Garn go down fighting at St Albans

St Albans RFC 25 Garndiffaith RFC 17

Garndiffaith travelled to St Albans, Cardiff with high hopes on Saturday after their win against Machen RFC on the opening day of the season.

The game started with St Albans taking advantage of the elements but the Garndiffaith eight soon stamped their authority in the set pieces forcing the home side to make early changes to try and combat the situation.

St Albans took the lead with a penalty 20 minutes into the game but Garndiffaith replied with a try from open side flanker L Wright.

The score stayed that way until injury time in the half when lapses in concentration saw St Albans finish the half with a well worked try.

The second half started with Garndiffaith using the elements to their advantage and C Sulway and A Roynon pegging the home side in their half resulting in a try by scrum half Atkinson.

From the restart Garn found themselves down to 14 when C Baldwin was yellow carded. Garn scored another try after a well worked back and forwards move seeing Sulway finish off and converting.

The home side took advantage of some disputed refereeing calls to score and convert bringing the score back to within two points.

With some good driving play from the home side resulted in another yellow issued to outside half Sulway for a deemed infringement.

With the Garn down to 13 they could have took the spoils when camped in the Albans' half but unable to deal the killer blow.

The home side took advantage of the extra men and scored a well worked try to take the lead 20-17.

In the last 10 minutes, the referee dismissed a St Albans flanker for dangerous footwork on players.

St Albans were gifted another try in the last play of the game to make the final score 25-17.

The Garn can take positives from this performance even being praised by the Home side coach that he felt the best side lost. Garndiffaith will be looking to bounced back on Saturday when they face Usk at home.