With Cardiff breathing down their necks as the title race reaches its climax, Llanelli raced out to a 21-6 lead at the break but the Ravens scored 21 points in the second half to deny the pace setters a valuable bonus point. Llanelli are now just two points clear at the top of the table, but Cardiff have a game in hand.
Nick Jones and Nick Reynolds scored first half tries for Llanelli with Matthew Brayley squeezing over early in the second before Bridgend hit back through Dan Connolly, Phil Price and Grant Epton.
Pontypool gave themselves a lifeline in their bid for survival with a thrilling 47-26 win over fellow strugglers Cross Keys.
Early tries from Dai Treharn and Matthew Thomas got the home side off to the perfect start before Dan Grevelt’s try on the stroke of half-time put Ponty into a commanding 23-6 half-time lead.
Second-half tries from Nathan Trowbridge and Gareth Maule gave the visitors a way back into the game with the Pontypool looking rattled. But a second try from Grevelt, followed quickly by Dan Robertson restored Ponty’s cushion.
James Leadbeater and Geraint O’Driscoll exchanged tries late on, with O’Driscoll’s subsequent conversion taking his personal tally up to 22 points.
James Arlidge grabbed 24 points as Newport recorded a 39-6 victory over Glamorgan Wanderers.
The New Zealand-born Japan international converted Mike Poole’s early try, before scoring a try of his before adding a penalty to put his side 15-6 in front going into the interval.
In the second half Arlidge slotted a second penalty before converting a Nathan Williams try. Arlidge then got his second try of the afternoon before Scot Williams completed the rout.
Neath’s hopes of regaining the Premiership title look all but over after a shock 15-20 defeat at home to Ebbw Vale.
Ieuan Coombes and Andrew Williams scored first half tries with the latter adding two conversions before Neath gave themselves a ray of hope before half-time when Stephen Thomas crossed the line to cut the lead to 14-5.
Two penalties from Williams dampened any hopes of a Neath comeback, and it was a case of too little too late when Howard Thomas’ converted try was followed by a Matty James penalty to bring the home side to within five points late on.
Bedwas eased their relegation fears with their biggest win of the year (11-34) over fellow strugglers Llandovery.
Matthew Harbut drove over and two penalties by Tomas Marks saw the Drovers hit the lead but two late first-half tries gave Bedwas the half-time advantage, with Hwyel Jenkins and Simon Jones both going over.
Second half tries by Matthew Pizey and Jones saw Bedwas take a bonus point.
Cardiff maintained their title challenge with a five-try, 33-22 victory over arch rivals Swansea.
The Blue and Blacks ran in four tries in the first half alone at they lead 26-8 at the break. Damian Welch went over after just seven minutes before fellow flanker David Blyth repeated the feat for the visitors three minutes later.
Then Cardiff crossed three times in 12 minutes through Nathan Rees, Craig Everett and Adam Powell to establish a healthy advantage. A penalty try ten minutes into the second half, added to four conversions by outside-half Gareth Davies, meant Cardiff extended their lead to 33-8.
But they had to withstand a late Swansea fightback, with replacement Richard Payne and full-back Nicky Thomas, who converted both tries, touching down on 65 and 72 minutes respectively.
Jamie Davies produced some magical kicking to help Aberavon conjure up a 22-17 win against Pontypridd.
The Wizards outside-half slotted over five penalties and a conversion to see his side grab the win.
Lewis Williams gave Ponty an early lead through his third minute try, before Richard Thomas went over with Davies kicking to level the scores a 7-7.
Nathan Strong’s try re-established Ponty’s lead on 28 minutes but two penalties from Davies gave Aberavon a one point lead at half-time.
Williams crossed a second time for 14-man Pontypridd on 50 minutes, before the game swung in the hosts favour on 68 minutes. Grant Harrington’s yellow card allowed Davies to kick his side into the lead, and he kicked once more in the final minute as Aberavon ran out victors.
