Here is the viewpoint from the Ravens.
The Ravens welcomed high-flyers Pontypridd to the Bridgend Ford Brewery Field. The serial title challengers, undefeated in the league, looked a hard task for bottom side Bridgend to master.
The hosts found themselves 10 points ahead with just five minutes on the clock. Dixon landed an early penalty and flyer O’Flaherty chased down an opportunistic score. A box kick from Ravens scrum half Williams was fumbled by Ponty and O’Flaherty pounced. The winger kicked ahead and had more than enough pace to get the first try of the match. Dixon added the conversion.
Lewis Williams notched the visitors first points of the match, landing a penalty from in front of the posts.
The Ravens were on top, in search of more points, probing the Ponty defence. Powerful centre Adam Williams got the hosts next score. A multi phase build up saw the ball spread wide and the centre was able to barge over. The try went unconverted.
Pontypridd were eventually able to get themselves into a good attacking position following a kick to the corner. A well manufactured lineout move saw a long throw to the back passed off the top to No 8 Godfrey. The back row went straight through a big gap in the middle of the lineout to score out wide. Williams added a fine conversion.
O’Flaherty, in fine form, almost got his second of the match. The winger found some space out wide but was chased down and tackled into touch 5 metres out.
The second half started slowly. Both teams were making handling errors and wayward kicks which disrupted the frantic pace. Dixon added to the Ravens lead 58 minutes into the match. A penalty at scrum time, an area Bridgend were on top for much of the match, was slotted by the fly half.
As the game looked to be slipping away from the Valleys side, replacement Jake Thomas finished off a lineout drive a minute after coming on. Ponty’s second try was converted by Williams to leave just a point between the sides.
The Ravens stepped it up in the final quarter attacking the Ponty line once again. An infringement from Jake Thomas close to the line led a yellow card for the replacement. Bridgend took full advantage as Ravens try machine O’Flaherty snuck over out wide, his tenth try of the season. Dixon missed the wide conversion to leave six points between the sides that would set up a nervy end to the match.
The Ravens had enough heart and commitment in defence to hold onto their lead. A second yellow card for Pontypridd, this one for Chris Phillips took the sting out of the visitors attack.
Bridgend lifted themselves from the foot of the table with the win, whilst handing Pontypridd their first league defeat of the season.
And here’s the viewpoint from Pontypridd….
Following a scrappy start to the game, Bridgend were given the first opportunity to score, outside half James Dixon hoisting a penalty between the posts with four minutes gone. That lead was dramatically increased straight from the restart as home winger Tom O’Flaherty kicked and chased to ground for a try, converted by Dixon.
The scoreboard operator was kept busy, Ponty advancing into their opponents’ twenty-two for outside half Lewis Williams to kick a penalty bang in front of the posts. Bridgend responded with a long passage of attacking play, probing the visitors’ twenty-two but without making a breakthrough. The game was competitive, if lacking finesse, with the home side getting the better of the first quarter of an hour.
Ponty finally made a foray into the home half, moving the ball along the back line, but their good work undone by a costly knock-on. Normal business was resumed as Bridgend again piled into the Ponty twenty-two, centre Adam Williams crossing for a close range try with twenty minutes gone. Ponty were striving to put together some phases of attack, but conceding turnovers to yield any initiative gained. Pressure was maintained, a neat line out ploy allowing no8 Dan Godfrey to charge through for a try, converted by Lewis Williams.
Playing into a stiff breeze, Ponty tried to keep ball in hand to make cautious advances, but conceding a turnover and allowing Bridgend to counter at pace, winger O’Flaherty going close in the corner. The visitors worked hard in defence, showing up well in the set pieces, and then countered as centre Gary Williams gathered a lofted clearance kick to give his side momentum upfield. Errors were being committed by both sides, with Bridgend holding out for an interval lead of 15pts to 10.
The game was slow to pick up momentum as the second half resumed, with Bridgend just edging the contest in terms of possession and territory. Knock-on’s, turnovers and skewed kicks were the order of the day with the referee’s whistle dominant. Bridgend tried to pick up the tempo of play with a passage of attack, but all coming to nothing.
There were sporadic advances made by both sides but inevitably marred by handling errors, the game remaining as cold as the weather conditions it was being played in. The scoreboard operator was finally roused from his slumber as home outside half James Dixon kicked a penalty with fifty-eight minutes gone. Ponty responded with a brief foray into their opponents’ half but totally lacking any inventiveness. It was a series of concerted forward drives that finally took Ponty towards the try line, replacement Jake Thomas claiming a touchdown with Lewis Williams adding the conversion.
Bridgend responded with a period of attack, laying siege in the visitors’ twenty-two, with Ponty flanker Jake Thomas yellow carded for infringing. The home team’s efforts were ultimately rewarded as winger Tom O’Flaherty burrowed over for a close range try in the corner.
The game was creeping into its final ten minutes, with Ponty striving hard to be creative in attack but failing. Bridgend again responded with a kick and rush counter instigated by flanker Adam O’Driscoll, keeping Ponty pinned back in their own half and with prop Chris Phillips dispatched to the sin bin. Each and every attempt by Ponty to progress upfield was a wasted one with errors committed and the clock ticking away against them.
The referee’s decisions now favoured Bridgend, allowing them to make headway into the visitors’ half. Ponty launched one last ditch injury time attack but ending with a knock-on that summed up a well below-par performance, going down to defeat by 23-17.
Aberavon 20 Bedwas 3
A try in each half secured a deserved win for Aberavon as Bedwas looked out of sorts for much of the game.
Playing into a cold, strong wind Bedwas started brightly but too many mistakes meant that pressure was not turned into points. The home side made mistakes too but were at least creating scoring chances and after 12 minutes left wing Steff Andrews found the space to squeeze in by the left touchline. Cameron Clement converted.
Clement increased his sides lead after 28 minutes with a well struck 40 metre penalty before Jack Maynard finally got Bedwas on the scoreboard with a penalty goal of his own to give his side hope they could turn things around in the second half with the wind at their backs.
It was not to be as precious few scoring opportunities came Bedwas’ way. Clement further increased his sides lead after 45 minutes with a well struck penalty. When Bedwas managed to get into Aberavon territory the home defence stoutly resisted. When hooker Alun Rees was sin binned after 63minutes Bedwas hopes evaporated further.
The home side took advantage of the extra man to seal the game. Steff Andrews put in a deft kick and his opposite number Kristian Corbisiero sprinted through at lightning pace to beat the covering defence for a well worked try. Clement converted to ensure the home sides victory.
Bedwas will need to quickly dust themselves down and put this down as a bad day at the office as Pontypool visit the Bridgefield on Wednesday 4th February for the rearranged Swalec Cup tie, kick off is at 7-15pm.
And here is Aberavon’s viewpoint..
Young Aberavon wing Kristian Corbisiero ensured Aberavon’s first double of the season as his try cliched the win over Bedwas at the Talbot Athletic Ground.
Bedwas were only 10-3 down against the wind at the interval and Aberavon then led 13-3 but it was all to play for until wing Stefan Andrews kicked ahead and Corbisiero, a cousin of the England prop, went at top speed to make the touchdown.
It was Aberavon’s third successive home league win and head coach Jason Hyatt declared: “It was our best performance of the season, while Bedwas head coach Steve Law said: “We were well in it at 10-3 then Aberavon totally outplayed us in the second half and deserved the points. I thought scrum half David Pritchard was the best man on the field.”
It was a Premiership debut for referee Gareth John from Chepstow and he can be well satisfied with it as he helped make a good game for watchers by letting play flow continually.
The Wizards scored first when lock Sam Williams made a gap and Andrews squeezed in at the corner with fly half Cameron Clement converting.
A Clement penalty and then one by Bedwas fly half Jack Maynard took it to to the break and Clement then kicked a superb 35-metre goal into the wind before Corbisiero’s 73rd-minute try settled it and again Clement landed a fine goal.
Bedwas coach Law pointed out: “We meet Pontypool in the SWALEC Cup on Wednesday night and we will really be going for it. We can’t win the league but we can win the Cup and have the prospect of a home tie against Cardiff Met in the next round.”
