Last week’s saw Carmarthen Quins extend their unbeaten run to three games as they went to Llandovery and emerged with a superb 19-13 victory. Round 4 sees the Quins heading to the home of the bottom team in Pool 2, Swansea, while Llandovery head to Llanelli.
Merthyr moved nine points clear in Pool 3 after they made it three wins on the bounce with a 34-10 win at Eugene Cross Park against the reigning Principality Premiership champions. The Ironmen host Bargoed, who beat Pontypridd 18-15, this week.
Aberavon got back to winning ways after a tricky period as they beat Bridgend 31-7 in a top of the table clash in Pool 4. The two teams meet again at the Brewery Field in Round 4, while Neath head to Cardiff buoyed by a 40-23 home win over the Blue & Blacks last week.
Cross Keys will seek to close the gap on Pool 1 leaders Newport when they host Bedwas. Keys beat Newport 33-27 at Pandy Park last week to move to within four points of the Black & Ambers.
Foster’s Challenge Cup – Round 4, 14 December
Pool 1: Bedwas v Cross Keys
Pool 2: Llanelli v Llandovery; Swansea v Carmarthen Quins
Pool 3: Merthyr v Bargoed; Pontypridd v Ebbw Vale
Pool 4: Bridgend v Aberavon; Cardiff v Neath
Round 3 Results
Pool 1: Cross Keys 33, Newport 27
Pool 2: Llandovery 13, Carmarthen Quins 19; Llanelli 24, Swansea 13
Pool 3: Bargoed 18, Pontypridd 15; Ebbw Vale 10, Merthyr 34
Pool 4: Aberavon 31, Bridgend 7; Neath 40, Cardiff 23
ROUND 3 REVIEW
Jim Botham, grandson of former England cricketer Ian, saw red as Neath thumped Cardiff 40-23 for their first Pool 4 Challenge Cup win. Botham, the Wales Under 18 flanker, was dismissed just 12 minutes into the game after a high tackle on Neath outside half Dan Guarneri.
Aaron Grabham had put the Welsh All Blacks in front before the drama unfolded and the wing went over again before Paul King and Geraint James exchanged tries. Diggy Bird kicked two penalties to keep the game tight at the interval and added another minutes after the restart before Neath put their foot down and ran in three tries through Ed Howley, Chris Morgans and Aled Morris.
Aberavon put an end to their winless patch and halted Bridgend’s Challenge Cup unbeaten streak with a convincing 31-7 win at the Talbot Athletic Ground. The Wizards – who had won just one game from their previous five – led 26-0 going into the final ten minutes after Jonathan Phillips, David Pritchard, Ieuan Davies and a penalty try saw them dominate. Jonathan Howard went over late on for the Ravens, but Jon Bamsey found the fifth in the dying seconds.
Cross Keys opened the door for a thrilling Pool A finale after their five-try, 33-27 bonus-point win over Newport. Wings Matthew Powell and Nathan Trowbridge both dotted down with Dan Hodge, Max George and Darren Hughes also crossing over.
Outside half Haydn Symons went over late on, and added the conversion, to grab a losing bonus-point for the visitors. The Black & Ambers still top the group with 10 points, with Keys on six, who can go top if they beat Bedwas on Wednesday. Newport play Bedwas on January 11.
Bargoed clawed their way back from a seven-point half-time deficit to beat 2016 Challenge Cup Champions, Pontypridd, 18-15 for their first win since September 17. The Blues have been in torrid form since, but tries from Duane Dyer and Jonathan Armitage put an end to the dismal run.
Elsewhere in Pool C, Merthyr made it 15 points from 15 after they thumped Premiership champions, Ebbw Vale 24-10 at Eugene Cross Park to all but seal their place in the final four. The Ironmen ran in five tries, with Tom Daley bagging a brace. Richard Carter – sacked by Aberavon earlier in the season – continues to impress at his new club after he scored his third try in four appearances for the league leaders.
The morale-boosting victory for Bargoed moves them up to third in the group after they leapfrogged the Steelmen, with Ponty remaining second, nine points adrift of Merthyr.
Last season’s Foster’s Challenge Cup semi-finalists Carmarthen Quins edged their way closer to a place in this year’s final four with a tight 19-13 derby win over Llandovery. Full-back Chris Banfield was the star of the show as he scooped two tries for the Quins with veteran fly-half Craig Evans racking up three penalties.
The two sides met in last season’s SWALEC Cup final at the Principality Stadium with the Drovers coming out 25-18 victors. But Llandovery stay second in Pool B, three points behind the Quins with Llanelli rising to third after they beat Swansea, 24-13.
Rory Garrett kicked Swansea into an early 6-0 lead but braces from Nathan Hart and Matthew Brewer secured the bonus-point triumph for the West Walians.
