SWALEC Division One West
Bottom-placed Bonymaen edged our SWALEC Division One West leaders Llangenech 26-25 in the surprise victory of the weekend. The hosts scored four tries in total including scrum-half Richard Williams’ last minute score which sealed the win.
Dan Cooper, Luke Myatt and Mike Jones all touched down for Llangenech while Jones and Richard Cunniffe added the extras with the boot as they claimed the scalp of the league leaders.
In another tight affair, Llanharan and TATA Steel fought out a 30-30 draw in a seven try feast at Dairy Field. TATA went into the interval up 17-11, John Phillips, Jordan Skidmore and Simon Evans all crossed for the visitors with Scott Robinson converting all three tries and adding the same number of penalties. Llanharan fought back in the second half though to claim a draw, centre Dai Atkins and left-wing Josh Austin amongst the scorers.
It was not a good day for the top sides as second placed UWIC also lost at home to Narbeth. The visitors triumphed 25-17 despite trailing 14-13 at half-time. Wing Tom Bonnell scored twice and centre Steve Martin added another as Narbeth fought back to claim the win. Full-back Dan Diddy crossed for UWIC and fly-half Rhys Thomas kicked two conversions and a penalty but it was not enough.
Elsewhere, both Waunarlwydd and Tondu were reduced to 14 men as Waunarlwydd claimed a 22 v 10 victory. Alan Pope, Dan Fox and Nicky Howard all crossed for the hosts and Jonny Davies added seven points with the boot.
Wings Gary Stevens and Ashley Evans both crossed as Ammanford triumphed 29-22 away at Bridgend Athletic. Wyn Jones and outside centre Matthew Lemon also went over. Athletic actually matched Ammanford’s four tries, James Olds amongst their scorers but their failure to add the extra points proved crucial with only one of their tries being converted.
Scott Newton had his kicking boots on though as his conversion and penalty proved the difference in Whitland’s narrow 10-5 win over Carmarthen Athletic. Winger Will Davies crossed for Whitland whilst Pan Rashesha replied for Carmarthen but Newton’s boot proved the key.
SWALEC Division One East
Ebbw Vale’s comprehensive 34-5 victory over Rumney, coupled with Newbridge’s defeat to Gilfach Goch saw the Steelmen climb to the top of SWALEC Division One East.
Ebbw Vale ran in seven tries at Eugene Cross Park as they brushed aside Rumney. Josh Powell, Nicky Coughlin, Charlie Simpson, Ashley Sweet and Dan Dearden all crossed to take the free-scoring defending champions’ season try tally to 44.
Gilfach kept up the pressure on the top three after an impressive 19-14 triumph over high-flying Newbridge. Full-back Ian Davies kicked 14 points for the hosts who registered their third consecutive win.
Bargoed recovered from last week’s setback with a 22-11 victory over Blackwood, but had to come back from a half-time deficit to do so. Tries from flanker Gareth Davies and outside half Matthew Hurley gave the home team the points at Bargoed Park.
The day’s most impressive result was secured by Merthyr, who registered a convincing 34-15 triumph at Beddau. The Ironmen crossed for four tries – including one for outside half Neil Burnett, who also kicked 14 points as his side climbed above their hosts in the table.
Meanwhile the bottom two sides both slipped further adrift of the rest of the division. Foot-of-the-table Tredegar are still searching for their first win of the season after a 26-6 loss at Treorchy. Full back Andrew Marlin scored a brace of tries for the Zebras.
Elsewhere, outside half Josh Lewis racked up 20 points for Mountain Ash who pulled off a 30-16 success over the Glamorgan Wanderers at the Memorial Ground. The Wanderers, who led by a single point at the interval, have now lost five on the bounce as the Old Firm recorded a three-try victory.
