Flanker Dan Owen, hooker Rhodri King and full-back Dion Jones all bagged braces, with scrum-half Dan Roderick and replacement Jessie Williams also scoring tries. Billy McBryde converted seven of their eight tries.
Skipper Joe Gage, scrum-half Josh Thomas, wing Felix Gilbert, Elis Horgan and Ashton Evans all scored for Aberavon, who had led 25-12 at the break. Ed Dunford kicked four conversions and three penalties.
“The boys can be proud of the way they finished the game in that last 20 minutes,” said Leach. “I thought the subs that came on made a big impact; for the first time this season, I thought we came out after half time and were strong, scoring two tries in a six-minute period.
“Cup runs are built on momentum and winning home games, so it’s good to get the win to start us off. Next week Cardiff will be offering that attacking threat, especially at their place, so it will be a test of our defence – which we will be working on to improve again this week.”
Meanwhile, in Pool B, Kieran Meek’s conversion to Morgan Allen’s last-gasp try snatched a 32-31 win for Pontypool in dramatic fashion over Swansea.
Scrum-half Owain Leonard’s try, along with a conversion and two penalties from outside half Meek put Pooler 13-0 ahead. But it would be Swansea ahead 24-13 come the break thanks to left wing Callum Dodd’s try and a brace from scrum-half Matthew Aubrey
Full-back Josh Phillips added two conversions and a penalty, with outside half Harri Williams also sending over a conversion.
Ieuan Jones’ try three minutes after the re-start, converted by Meek, pulled the hosts back to within four points but the visitors’ 11-point advantage was restored on 66 minutes when Dodd scored his second try of the match, converted by Phillips.
Matthew Powell replied again for Pooler with 10 minutes remaining and then, well into added time, the hosts’ pressure was rewarded when Allen scored before Meek’s conversion secured another memorable second half comeback win witnessed by the Pontypool Park faithful.
In the other game in Pool B, Ebbw Vale got their cup campaign off to a winning start as they defeated 24-7 at Eugene Cross Park to claim maximum points.
The Steelmen took the lead when a break from halfway from outside half Evan Lloyd was finished off by scrum-half Gruff Tough, with Lloyd converting. That was cancelled out by prop Rhys Fawcett’s reply for the west Walians, converted by Elis Payne, to level matters 7-7 at the break.
An unconverted try from Jacob Hopkins out wide restored Ebbw’s lead before a pick and go try from Morgan Davies, again unconverted, made it 17-7. A fourth try scored by Hopkins – his second – following a scrum in the closing stages made sure for Ebbw, with Lloyd converting.
“It’s a great win for the boys,” said Ebbw team manager Dan Haymond. “It was difficult to be honest, a bit of a scrappy game, but we got what we needed out of it.
“We made a lot of changes. There were boys on the pitch who haven’t had a lot of game time and also boys coming back from long-term injuries, so it was never going to be a perfect performance from us, but we got there in the end.”
Elsewhere, there was one rearranged SRC league fixture, with Jac Lloyd’s late penalty earning Newport a 17-14 win at Bridgend. The Black & Ambers had led 14-0 after 17 minutes through tries from wing Lloyd Lewis and skipper Ben Roach, both converted by Lloyd.
The game was marred though by a concerning looking leg injury sustained by Newport scorer Lewis after only 10 minutes played.
Tommy Morgan replied for the Ravens before the break, converted by Luke Price, and they were level on 67 minutes when Freddie Chapman went over, converted by Lloyd Wilkins.
But Newport – and Jac Lloyd – had the final say in additional time. Ty Morris’ side, fourth in the table, are 10 points back on leaders Llandovery with a game in hand.
