The 2007–08 Ystalyfera RFC season was a further season of re-building with new, young players. The team began well with six wins and only two defeats into October. Unfortunately these defeats were two league games where the players performed admirably but were denied the results – Taibach home 5-8 and Bryncoch away 13-17. The Swansea Valley Cup provided Preliminary and 1st Round wins over Trebanos away 19-3 and Alltwen away 32-21. The Welsh Cup started with a Preliminary Round win over Skewen at Ynysydarren 26-14 only to lose at home 11-20 to Cardiff side Fairwater.

Despite a resounding 44-8 win at home to Hirwaun getting 6 tries, the lack of consistency resulted in the loss of the next three league games. This left the ‘Fera in the position of one win and five defeats, however the never say never attitude came to the front and consecutive victories over Pontycymmer 27-5, Resolven 16-15 away and Neath Athletic 3-0 at home stabilised the situation and left Ystalyfera mid table at the end of 2007. The New Year started again with the inability to apply and maintain team strengths and another three defeats was the outcome. Home wins over local rivals Abercrave 28-23 and Brynamman 23-17 again lifted the side in time for the Easter Tour to Halifax. This trip was a blessing in disguise for after returning Ystalyfera only lost another two games, notching up four wins and an amazing 34 all draw with Resolven. In this game Damian James and Phillip Thomas got two tries apiece, Jesse Patton a try and Mathew Scott kicking a penalty and three conversions. This form was to prove a beacon for the forthcoming season when the players in belief of their ability would achieve success.

On 15 April Ystalyfera were denied in a Swansea Valley Cup Semi-Final by our always ‘bogey’ side in the competition Abercrave 7-8 at home. Mathew Scott had scored a try which Damian James converted, but a period when two front row players were ‘sin binned’ off the field gave the visitors an opportunity and a try plus a penalty gave them the result. Captain this season was the inspiring Paul Davies, top scorer was Jason Addey with 91 points closely followed by the ever present Damian James with 85. Leading try scorer was the much-experienced Phillip Thomas with 10 tries, Mathew Scott just short with 9.

Players Player of the year was Jonathan Evans for the second season and the Supporters favourite was Mathew Scott.

National League Division 4 South West

Pos. Team. PL. W. D. L. F. A. Bon. Try. Pts.  %.
1 P Glynneath 22 18 0 4 541 246 12 69 84 81.82%
2 P Maesteg Celtic 22 17 1 4 428 243 8 54 78 79.55%
3 Taibach 22 16 0 6 502 345 8 65 72 72.73%
4 Bryncoch 22 16 1 5 415 348 6 57 72 75.00%
5 Brynamman 22 11 0 11 477 353 12 58 56 50.00%
6 Ystalyfera 22 10 1 11 356 374 10 45 52 47.73%
7 Glyncorrwg 22 10 0 12 364 319 12 44 52 45.45%
8 Pontycymmer 22 9 1 12 291 404 4 20 42 43.18%
9 Neath Athletic 22 7 0 15 311 449 8 35 36 31.82%
10 Resolven 22 6 1 15 369 509 9 53 35 29.55%
11 R Hirwaun 22 4 0 18 290 471 8 41 24 18.18%
12 R Abercrave 22 5 1 16 260 543 2 33 24 25.00%

[1]

Ystalyfera 2007/08 Season Results

No. Date. Fixture. Venue. Opponents. Result. F - A.
1 17 Aug. Trial Home Tonna Won 19 - 12
2 21 Aug. Friendly Home Morriston Won 12 - 10
3 25 Aug. SV Cup Prelim Rd Away Trebanos Won 19 - 3
4 1 Sept. League Home Taibach Lost 5 - 8
5 8 Sept. League Away Bryncoch Lost 13 - 17
6 22 Sept. League Home Hirwaun Won 44 - 8
7 29 Sept. W Cup Prelim Rd Home Skewen Won 26 - 14
8 6 Oct. SV Cup 1Rd Away Alltwen Won 32 - 21
9 13 Oct. League Away Abercrave Lost 10 - 11
10 20 Oct. League Home Brynamman Lost 12 - 22
11 27 Oct. W Cup 1 Rd Home Fairwater Lost 11 - 20
12 3 Nov. League Away Glynneath Lost 3 - 31
13 10 Nov. League Home Pontycymmer Won 27 - 5
14 15 Dec. League Away Resolven Won 16 - 15
15 29 Dec. League Home Neath Athletic Won 3 - 0
16 5 Jan. League Away Maesteg Celtic Lost 11 - 18
17 12 Jan. League Away Taibach Lost 0 - 31
18 26 Jan. League Away Hirwaun Lost 8 - 10
19 16 Feb. League Home Abercrave Won 28 - 23
20 1 Mar. League Away Brynamman Won 23 - 17
21 7 Mar. League Home Glynneath Lost 7 - 20
22 29 Mar. League Away Pontycymmer Lost 16 - 21
23 5 Apr. League Home Resolven Drew 34 - 34
24 12 Apr. League Away Glyncorrwg Won 19 - 12
25 15 Apr. SV Cup SF Home Abercrave Lost 7 - 8
26 19 Apr. League Away Neath Athletic Won 29 - 18
27 26 Apr. League Home Maesteg Celtic Lost 20 - 29
28 30 Apr. League Home Bryncoch Won 15 - 14
29 3 May. League Home Glyncorrwg Won 13 - 10
482 - 462

[2]

Ystalyfera 2007/08 Season Player Stats

41. Player. PL. Tries. Cons. DGls. Pens. Tot Pts.
1 Jason Addey 25 5 15 0 12 91
2 Damian James 22 5 6 3 13 85
3 Mathew Scott 28 9 6 1 1 63
4 Phillip Thomas 29 10 50
5 Andrew Spratt 25 5 2 4 41
6 Jonathan Evans 25 5 25
7 Graham Jones 24 3 15
8 Martyn Stoneman 15 1 2 2 15
9 Arwel Williams 12 3 15
10 Jesse Patton 29 2 10
11 Tristian Davies 23 2 10
12 Simon Chatham 19 2 10
13 Mark Rewston 15 2 10
14 Aaron Davies 13 2 10
15 Mathew Dunne 10 2 10
16 Paul Davies Captain 26 1 5
17 Ryan Evans 24 1 5
18 Daniel White 11 1 5
19 Nick Stevens 8 1 5
20 Gareth James 2 1 2
21 Kieran Lloyd 24
21 Alun Guerrier 24
23 Aled Watkins 21
24 Steven Myers 20
25 Chris Baron 18
26 Neil Brown 16
26 Craig Lloyd 16
26 Jonathan Williams 16
29 Steven Munkley 13
30 Steffan Jones 10
30 Nathan Hicks 10
32 Jonathan Morgan 7
32 Mark Orford 7
34 Phillip John Stephens 5
34 Simon Dunne 5
36 Sam Jones 3
36 Jason Humphries 3
38 Christopher Jenkins 2
38 Lyndon Osborne 2
40 Leighton Prosser 1
40 David Thomas 1
'Penalty Tries' 0
'Team Total' 29 62 32 4 32 482

[3]

References

  1. ↑ "WRU official website". Archived from the original on 2009-05-07. Retrieved 2009-09-26.
  2. ↑ "WRU official website". Archived from the original on 2009-05-07. Retrieved 2009-09-26.
  3. ↑ [Ystalyfera Rugby Archive]
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