Reigning champions Ebbw Vale headed north to Colwyn Bay, where they beat RGC 1404 31-16, while Bargoed hosted Newbridge and emerged victors by an impressive 21-0 margin.
The ‘Steelmen’ didn’t have things all their own way in front of a crowd of almost 1,000 at Parc Eirias against Championship new boys RGC. Having led 21-9 at the break they were pegged back to 21-16 after home wing Afon Baghsaw crossed for a try which outside half Rhodri Carlton-Jones converted.
At that stage it was anyone’s game, but the visitors closed things out with a fourth penalty from Dan Hammond and a penalty try given against RGC’s Kelvin Davies from pulling down a rolling maul. That was Ebbw Vale’s third try of the game after first half efforts from Ron Kynes and Spencer Gibson and Hammond’s conversion gave him 16 points for the match.
Bargoed’s Neil Burnett kicked 11 points in his side’s home win in a game that saw Newbridge suffer a red card midway through the second half. Martin Llewellyn’s men, who are celebrating their club’s 125th anniversary this season, battled hard in the opening 40 minutes, but conceded a try and three penalties after the break.
Back row man Adam Coupe opened the scoring for the home side with a try which Burnett improved and then full back Luke Smalley ran in the score that ended Newbridge’s resistance in the second half.
Pontypool got their campaign off to a wining start with a six try, bonus point victory at Beddau. Both teams had two players sent to the sin-bin during the game, but Pontypool’s greater ability to make the most of their chances earned them a full-house of points.
Tries came from impressive back rower Jordan Williams, No 8 Luke Dyckhoff, wing Josh Hurley, centre Mark Thorley and wings Chris Laing and Trevor James. Clayton Dullis added four conversions and a penalty. Beddau grabbed all their points in the second half with debut-making outside half Rhys Morgan carving his way through for the first of three tries, all of which were converted by Steve Robinson.
There were two other big away wins in the division as Narberth ran in six tries to sink Bonymaen 37-11 and the students of Cardiff Met bagged five tries in their 34-15 triumph at Llanharan.
There were two tries each for Steffan Phillips and Jason Howells in Narberth’s fine start and the visitors ran in 22 points in a strong second half surge. Cardiff met also enjoyed a power surge in their game at the Dairy Field after falling 12-0 behind.
Llanharan blasted out of the blocks and raced into an early lead with tries from new scrum half Mathew Williams and his half back partner Codey Rees. But the students then unleashed a mighty backlash that saw them pick up a bonus point with 27 unanswered points.
They ended with five tries thanks to two from James Beal and one each from Pierre Tucker, Jamie Harries and Charlie Stevenson. The only home points after the break came from a Rees penalty.
Full back Gareth Walters was the hero for Tata Steel as they beat Tondu 22-6 at home. Walters kicked five penalties and converted No 8 Rob Hill’s try for a match tally of 17 points.
It was a similar story at Bridgend Athletic, where home outside half Steve Lewis turned into the match winner with 22 points in a 32-30 win over Blackwood. The Athletic were 26-13 ahead at the break, but had to run the gauntlet of a major second half revival fro the visitors, who ended level on three tries at the end of the game.
But Lewis’s contribution – a try, conversion and five penalties – proved crucial in a game in which Ben Howe and Mike Powell also crossed for home tries.
