A STRANGE game saw all 56 points scored all at the clubhouse end, as Aberystwyth contrived to lose their Division One West match 26-30 against Felinfoel, despite a strong comeback.

Felinfoel had arrived with a bare 15 players and so, according to the laws, all scrums were non-contestable.

This seemed to knock Aberystwyth off track completely, and they produced their poorest first half performance for many a season.

Influential Felinfoel outside-half Aled Roberts kicked two early penalties awarded at the breakdown.

Felinfoel were dominating possession at this point, and it was no surprise when they released right winger Rhys Willis to score in the corner.

Aber gained some ball and mounted a series of attacks, with forwards and backs combining well, but there was a tendency to take ball into contact, when perhaps it would have been better to release supporting players.

From an Aberystwyth attack on the Felinfoel 22 Aled Roberts intercepted a pass and ran clear to score his side’s second try, which he converted.

He repeated the feat a few minutes later to score from half-way, which he again converted to add to Aber’s woe.

Inevitably, it seemed, Felinfoel scored their bonus point try on the stroke of half-time, as full-back Glen Williams scored a try to make it 0-30.

Aber had given themselves a mountain to climb after a very disappointing first half performance, which lacked any spark or dynamism.

They failed to generate any quick second phase possession, which allowed a very efficient Felinfoel defence time to regroup and nullify the rather predictable Aber attacks.

Just after half-time Aber substituted their two props and put on two young back-rowers in Steff Evans and Gareth Jones, and went on the attack.

Captain Lee Evans showed the way, running hard from depth he cut a lovely angle and stormed through unopposed to score near the posts, for Steffan Rees to add a conversion.

Felinfoel seemed to be tiring, and with Aber increasing the tempo of their game, Paul Stubbs took a quick tap-penalty and ran strongly. When he was tackled he gave a delightful off-load to the supporting Gareth Flynn to crash over by the posts. Steffan Rees again converted the try, and the comeback looked like it was on.

Felinfoel were now becoming a little bit desperate in their defence and they conceded two yellow cards - one for lying on the ball - and the second being a little more controversial when their No 8 deliberately knocked on to thwart a series of Aber attacks.

The slightly biased supporter might well have called for a penalty try to be awarded under these circumstances.

Shortly after Aber moved a quickly taken tap-penalty through the backs and Dean Coleman, who had a fine game in possession scored wide-out, but the conversion was missed.

The next try was a beauty by Aber, with Paul Stubbs turning the ball over deep in the Aber 22, and the ball was moved quickly through the backs to release full-back Llyr Thomas.

He was hauled down just a couple of metres short of the line, but Aber recycled and Arwel Lloyd dived over to score near the posts. Steffan Rees converted to make the scoreline 26-30 with about five minutes remaining.

Aber created a couple of good chances to win the game, but some wrong options were taken with the try line seemingly at their mercy.

Felinfoel, who conceded another yellow card, held out until the end, and they probably deserved the win.

It was a very flat, untypical Aber performance in the first half, which left them with too much to do to win the game - but the fact that they got so close at the end says a lot about their attitude and character as a squad.