Cardiff’s James Whittingham and Ravens’ James Dixon traded early penalties, Cardiff leading 6-3 with 13 minutes on the clock.
Thomas Pascoe got the first try of the match as Cardiff benefited from some poor Bridgend handling. Pascoe went over but fly half Whittingham missed with the conversion. In the build up to the try, perhaps the biggest talking point of the game saw Bridgend’s Mike Powell and Cardiff’s Will Thomas both sent off as punches were traded.
Cardiff restarted the match with a penalty from half way, kicked to touch. Further Bridgend indiscipline handed Whittingham the opportunity to extend the Cardiff lead, which he took. The Cardiff number 10 added another three points from the tee before the visitors finished the first half with a second try.
A Bridgend knock on gave the visitors the opportunity to launch a counter attack. Good recycling and a grubber kick behind the Ravens defence allowed Jack Phillips to dive on the ball for the score. Whittingham added the extras to give Cardiff a 24-3 half time lead.
Five minutes into the second half saw Cardiff add to their lead. Bridgend, pressing for some points, threw a wide pass that hit the deck. Fish hacked through and the Cardiff Blue showed he had enough pace to go over for the score. Whittingham added the extras to push Cardiff past the 30 point mark.
Cardiff’s Jack Phillips was shown a yellow card for a dangerous tackle, leaving space around the field which Bridgend were able to exploit. The first try eventually came for the Ravens following some strong forward work. A five metre scrum led to a sustained attack, sucking in the Cardiff defenders. The ball was spread wide and a looping pass, nearly picked off by the final Cardiff defender, landed in Ross Jones’ arms as the fullback strolled over for the score. Dixon missed the conversion but the Ravens appeared to gain confidence from the score.
The hosts got their second try of the game following some sustained pressure in the Cardiff half. A quick tap penalty led to Cardiff hooker Ethan Lewis sent to the bin for failing to retreat 10 metres close to the Cardiff line. The Ravens opted for the scrum and the forwards powered over earning a penalty try as the weakened Cardiff scrum capitulated. Dixon added the conversion as the Ravens hoped to gain something from the game.
It was the visitors that would add to their score next however, as more poor handling from the Ravens proved costly. Dan Fish picked up a Bridgend knock on and sprinted for the line. With Bridgend in all-out-attack mode there were no covering defenders to stop the winger from going over for his second of the match, Cardiff’s fourth. Whittingham added a neat conversion to ensure a Cardiff victory.
The Ravens went close late on a Ross Jones was tackled into touch a metre from the line but it was Cardiff who would cap off a fine display with a sixth try. Following a multiple phase build up, the visitors looped a wide pass out to Ceri Young and the winger was able to glide over for the score. Whittingham added his fourth conversion of the match.
Llanelli 37 Bedwas 42
In his programme notes Llanelli Chairman Meurig Griffiths said: “Rugby at this level is a lot better to watch than regional rugby at times, the entertainment value is superb, it’s a shame more people don’t attend these games.”
How right he was as both sides played their part in an 11-try thriller with Bedwas emerging victors for the first time at Parc y Scarlets, watched by only 200 spectators.
Llanelli’s fly half Josh Lewis opened the scoring after three minutes with a long range penalty after Bedwas were penalised at a ruck. He missed a similar long range penalty shortly afterwards after Bedwas were again penalised at a ruck, this one barely two metres into the Bedwas half.
Bedwas settled down and a great break led by Harley Thomson from deep in his own half saw Arron Pinches cross for a try, Powell unsuccessful with the conversion. Powell added a penalty after 15 minutes to increase the Bedwas lead before home winger Frazier Climo burst through a gap for a try, converted by Lewis to put the his side back in front.
Powell added a second penalty for Bedwas before the home side scored their second try following a deft kick chase scrum half Justin James won the foot race to the line. Lewis added the conversion.
Bedwas rose to the challenge and two tries in four minutes by Harley Thomson and Ashton Hewitt the latter converted from the touchline by Powell put Bedwas back in the lead. Lewis added his second penalty of the afternoon on the stroke of half time to close the gap to three points.
Bedwas were quickly out of the blocks in the second half Rory Budina was on the end of a flowing move to score in the corner, converted by Powell with barely two minutes of the half elapsed. Bedwas continued to attack and diminutive scrum half Luke Crane ducked and weaved through several tackles before dotting down under the sticks. Powell easily adding the conversion.
Llanelli were not finished and outside half Josh Lewis scored a lovely try he created himself by throwing a huge dummy and speeding through the resulting gap, he added the conversion himself.
Bedwas made a raft of changes around the hour mark which paid dividends when veteran Number 8 charged through for a try after 67 minutes to settle Bedwas nerves.
Llanelli were on the ropes but mounted a big effort to salvage something from the game and threw caution to the wind expertly keeping the ball alive. They were rewarded by two unconverted tries from replacements; firstly back rower Tom Phillips and the back Adam Williams crossed to set up a nerve jangling last five minutes.
Llanelli continued to attack and a match clinching try looked a possibility but Bedwas dug in and defended for the lives to emerge deserved winners.
Cross Keys 17 Aberavon 13
A try by full back James Cordy-Reddan gave Cross Keys the double over Aberavon this season.
It was a heartbreaker as it came in the ninth-minute of time added on by referee Craig Evans, who again gave an outstanding exhibition, trying valiantly to keep play going in the Pandy Park mud.
Aberavon probably deserved the four points, though the one they had takes them over Bridgend while Newport’s win moved them up two places.
Nobody could deny that after Keys scrum half Rhys Dyer was red-carded for a tip tackle on Ben Thomas, the home side upped their game and came on strong.
It was 13-3 to Aberavon at that point and the game’s outstanding player, Keys captain Leon Andrews then scored one try and made another.
With Matthew Jarvis (425 points in 52 games) back from Ealing Trailfinders, Aberavon had a great weapon and his long strike levelled a Keys penalty by Ethan Davies and Jarvis added a second just on the interval after Richard Carter’s splendid run had gone close.
Aberavon hit the ground running after the break and after David Pritchard was almost over from Nathan Brown’s pass, the scrum saw No 8 Ben Thomas crash over and Jarvis converted.
But, with Jarvis inches wide from a long shot, Keys came back to score through Andrews and Davies converted.
Aberavon went agonisingly close but just when they seemed safe Keys went through phase after phase and Cordy-Reddan scored from the Andrews pass with Davies converting.
Neath 18 Pontypridd 20
Neath earned a penalty award straight from the kick-off, which was duly converted by outside half Rhodri Cole. The home team followed up with a sweeping attack wide out, keeping play up in their opponents’ half. Ponty were being heavily penalised on defensive duties, Cole slotting another kick between the posts with eight minutes gone.
Ponty finally made headway into home territory, taking a short line-out throw to press towards the line. Pressure was maintained as Garyn Smith drilled through a kick into the try zone but full back Aled Summerhill knocking on with a score begging. The visitors maintained momentum, taking a quick tap penalty to drive towards the line then setting up a maul from a line-out take for flanker Jake Thomas to claim a try, converted by outside half Lewis Williams.
Neath struck back straight from the restart, winger Jamie Davies cutting clean through for an opportunist try which was converted by Cole. The penalty count was still heavily in the home team’s favour, allowing them to make advances before tensions escalated into a brief fracas between both sets of forwards. Ponty were pegged back in their own half, both by the home attackers and the referee’s whistle, but Neath centre Luke Ford falling short with a penalty attempt from distance.
The All Blacks continued to press, an advance into the Ponty twenty-two held up only by an all-out bout of fisticuffs between the two teams. As play resumed the home pack drove relentlessly forward, the ball then shipped out for full back Ashley Evans to cross for a try in the corner, Rhodri Cole’s conversion attempt rebounding off a post. Ponty in response worked hard to make headway out of their own half, settling for a penalty kicked by Lewis Williams to go into the interval trailing by 18-10.
Ponty were under pressure from the restart, back-tracking into their own twenty-two and having a clearance kick charged down into touch. The visitors finally put together some phases of attack with prop Dillon Lewis leading a charge over the halfway but then penalised in a scrum to lose any momentum gained and with scrum half Tom Williams yellow carded.
Neath again advanced towards their opponents’ line, the contest remaining fraught and ill-tempered. A telling break by winger Chris Clayton gave Ponty some much needed momentum upfield, but their advance halted by a costly midfield knock-on, summing up the frustrations of the day so far. The visitors continued to apply pressure, and winning penalty awards, continued to advance, a maul taking them over the line but no score awarded.
An attacking scrum and drive took Ponty back over the home line, with Neath hooker Sion Crocker dispatched to the sin bin for infringing. The visitors’ pack were camped on the five metre line, applying serious pressure with a series of shunts over the whitewash but failing to ground for a try. Ponty continued to scrummage with a number of penalties awarded in their favour but no penalty try ensuing, and with Neath prop Marc Jones shown a yellow card for his efforts. One more drive over the line finally earned a reward for Ponty as replacement Dan Godfrey claimed a try, converted by Lewis Williams with seventy-four minutes gone.
The contest was poised for a dramatic last five minutes with Ponty trailing by a solitary point, galvanising their efforts to take play into the home half. Lewis Williams launched a fifty metre penalty towards the posts, but his effort falling short. Ponty pressed on in attack, playing through many phases into injury time, and gaining another penalty award which Williams this time converted. There was drama still to come as Neath broke into their opponents’ half, the Ponty defence penalised for a high tackle but Rhodri Cole pulling wide his attempt.
Pontypridd had survived to sneak a win by 18pts to 20 following an encounter that was low on quality but high on tension.
