The Wizards, riding high in the Principality Premiership with six successive victories, thought they had won their opening Foster’s Challenge Cup Pool D match when they went ahead 24-22 thanks to a try from back row man David Griggs.
Steff Williams added the conversion to give his side the lead for the second time in the match. New wing Mike Wilson had scored on his debut in the first half to make it 10-7 at the break and then a penalty try, converted by Williams, edged the visitors ahead 14-10.
Williams added a penalty, but back came the home side, who had opened up a 10 point lead in the first half with an interception try from wing Ceri Young and a conversion and penalty from Bird, with a second try.
Bird hoisted the ball into the Wizards’ in-goal area and Paul King got the touchdown. Bird added the conversion to level matters at 17-17 before Jack Davies earned a try from a driving maul.
That gave Cardiff the advantage at 22-17 before Griggs crowned his debut with a try to edge the Wizards back in front. Bid failed with a drop goal attempt, but when the home pack earned a penalty in the Aberavon 22 the outside half stepped up and won the game.
In the other game in Pool D, Bridgend came out on top at The Gnoll 17-14 as they fought back from a 9-3 interval deficit. Two penalties and a drop goal from Iwan Davies gave Neath the advantage in the first half and right wing Aaron Grabham crossed for a second half try.
But the Ravens skipper Ashton Evans earned his side a third consecutive win in all competitions with a 77th minute try to add to Jamie Murphy’s earlier effort to crown a great fightback in the final quarter.
Reigning champions Pontypridd kicked-off in fine style with a 31-17 Pool C win over Ebbw Vale at Eugene Cross Park. Outside half Lewis K Williams crossed at the posts for a try which he also converted to start the march to victory and Owen Sheppeard soon added a second try.
Williams’ second conversion meant it was 14-0 at the interval to the visitors and lock Sean Moore crossed for a third to round off a Bradley Coombes break at the start of the second half. Williams added the extras to make it 21-0, but the Steelmen came rushing back into the contest with tries from Kier Hughes and Ross Jones, the first of which Dan Haymond converted.
No 8 Sheppeard then crossed for his second try and Williams suppleid the extra two points and then kicked a penalty to make it 31-12 with 15 minutes left to play.
Ebbw Vale finished strongly and replacement Jonathan Bowen added a third try. In the other Pool C match, Merthyr wer far too strong for Bargoed, running out 38-7 victors away from home.
Former Ospreys hooker Matt Dwyer scored three of Merthyr’s six tries as they raced into a 26-0 interval lead. Other tries came from James Whittingham and two from Kyle Evans, with Dean Gunter kicking four conversions.
Carmarthen Quins were once again too strong for Llanelli, who they had already beaten in the Principality Premiership, as they ran out 35-5 winners in Pool B. Craig Evans converted all five tries, which were supplied by Lee Taylor, Gwion Jones, Morgan Griffiths, Kieran Jones and Nathan Williams.
Llandovery and Swansea served up 76 points in their Pool B clash at Church Bank. The Drovers plundered seven tries, two of which were penalty tries, and Jamie Davies kicked six conversions and a penalty in a 50-26 triumph.
Newport outside half Matt O’Brien ended with 17 points as he went through the card in the Black & Ambers 41-26 win at Bedwas in Pool A. He scored one of his side’s five tries, converted three of them, kicked a penalty and dropped a goal.
Bedwas at least scored the first of the nine tries on the night through Phillip Pariyo. The others came from hooker Nathan Huish and No 8 Josh Hayward.
