1st Team Matchday Report.

By Gareth Morgan. ⚫🔵⚫🔵🏉

WRU Championship Cup First Round

Blaina RFC v Llanharan RFC – Match Report

Saturday 3rd October 2026.

Many a Dairy Field regular has, over recent months and years, has posed the question: “When will we see the Cogbill brothers playing together for the Dairymen First XV.

Scott Jones’ late withdrawal meant that Saturday the 3rd of October would be a proud day in the history of the Cogbill Stephens clan regardless of the result. Older brother Lewis switched from the nine jersey to number ten, allowing Alfie to step up from the bench for his competitive first team debut.

This was one of twelve changes from last weeks starting lineup, which secured a nailbiting victory against Cardiff Met, as the Dairy Men travelled to Blaina for the second time in a fortnight.

The hosts would be on the hunt for revenge, after Llanharan’s comprehensive league

victory two weeks ago.

The first half was a low scoring affair compared to the previous encounter, with Blaina looking a far more resilient outfit, and the visitors attracting the referee’s attention for the wrong reasons on regular occasions. As we approached the ten-minute mark, one such indiscretion allowed the hosts to take the lead through a penalty, Blaina 3-0 Llanharan. Having conceded the lead, the Dairymen were able to demonstrate their own resilience, with some solid defence, and on the twenty-five-minute mark the ever-industrious Josh Walsh crashed over to open the visitors account, with Lewis Cogbill adding the extras, to put the visitors into a seven points to three lead.

Five minutes later, the Lambs responded with a converted try of their own to retake the lead, 10-7.

The final five minutes of the first period was a frenzied affair, with the electric pace

of Llanharan winger Sam Alexander allowing him to cross out wide on the right, and Lewis

Cogbill nailing the touchline conversion to edge the Dairymen ahead once again 10-14.

However, from the restart, the hosts struck straight back, with a try, which although unconverted edged them back ahead 15-14. They were then able to pull further ahead, when they successfully converted a penalty with the last kick of the half, to make the score 18-14 at the interval.

The Dairymen began the second period very much on the front foot, and with the opening play of the half, worked their way into the red-zone, eventually allowing Sam Alexander to cross wide on the left this time, for his second try of the game. Again, Lewis Cogbill was on point with the touchline conversion to make the score 18-21 to the visitors. Blaina were the next to score andunconverted try ten minutes into the second period returned them to the lead 23-21.

However, some five minutes later, ever consistent Llanharan back-rower Rhys Dauncey, carved open the home defence, to score near the posts, with the elder Cogbill again on target with the conversion, the Dairymen nosed back ahead 23-28.

As the second period entered its second

half, Blaina once again struck back, a converted try making the score 30-28. With ten minutes remaining, a Lewis Cogbill penalty nosed the Dairymen back ahead, 30-31, but the game was far from over, with the final ten minutes of the second period being as frenzied as the final five of the first.

Once again Llanharan indiscipline looked like it would cost them dear, with the visitors

going down to thirteen men, as both captain Ieuan Pring and Owain Howe saw yellow, and

Blaina converted a penalty chance to edge into a 33-31 lead. For a significant period of the last

ten minutes, the Dairymen barely hung on, with their scrum under severe pressure, and further

Blaina scores appearing inevitable. However, the team Bill and Mitch have built, is nothing if not resilient, and winning as we know is habitual.

Restored to their full complement, and with

seconds to play the visitors threw everything they had at the Blaina defensive line. Having gone close more than once, but fallen just short, centre Rhys Conquer who had been dominant in defence all day, was able to release replacement winger Dan Palin to cooly cross for the winning score.

It was somewhat fitting that these two combined for the winning score, since they have been teammates since the age of ten. The conversion attempt was Lewis Cogbill’s first miss of the afternoon, but he can be easily forgiven since had steered the young Llanharan side to a nail-biting 33-36 victory.

Lewis Cogbill was deservedly named player of the match, but his brother Alfie can’t have been far way, having impressed on his first team debut.

Also worthy of mention are Tom Davies, who

carried well all afternoon, and Chris Osborne who strengthened the scrum on his introduction.

The back row played well as a unit, and it was great to see Harley Thompson return to the team adding his own unique brand of aggression, energy and drive. Martin De Torres and Rhys Conquer appearing together as a centre partnership for the first time lead a solid defensive effort, which was a major factor in keeping the visitors in touch, and within range for the last gasp victory.

Next week Llanharan are back in league action, with another visit to the Gwent Valleys, this time to Penallta, and hopefully they will be able to keep up the form that they have shown thus far this season.

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