Both sides took time to settle and get into their stride although Powell’s first attempt at goal nudged his side ahead after 12 minutes. Good defence from both sides kept the score the same before visiting inside centre Rhodri Jones broke through to score a well worked try, James Garland adding the conversion.
Bedwas were not to be denied and two further Powell penalty goals the second after the same player made a great break from his own 22 meter area only to be hauled down meters from the try line. The referee spotted an off the ball incident and sin binned visiting prop forward Greg Cunniffe.
Two minutes later good Bedwas pressure saw Mathew Pewtner rewarded with a try in the right hand corner, Powell confidently slotting the conversion to put his side 16-7 ahead.
Llandovery fought back and Bedwas indiscipline was punished by two further James Garland penalties, the second on the stroke of half time to reduce the deficit to three points.
The second half followed a similar patter as both sides continue to defend well with neither willing to budge. Powell nudged Bedwas further ahead with a well struck penalty before back rower Shaun Miles became the second Llandovery player to be sin-binned this time for a deliberate knock on. Powell once again took his chance and his successful penalty put his side 22-13 ahead.
Bedwas turned the screw and made the extra man pay off as Rhys Hutcherson was driven over for a try, Powell completed his 100% successful kicking record with a well struck conversion. With the clock ticking down Bedwas replacement Deri Mattravers was sin binned for a tackle offence but there was insufficient time for the visitors to get back into the game and the home side held out for deserved victory.
Bedwas are next in league action on Saturday 20th December 2014 when they visit Cardiff Arms Park, in the meantime a home friendly fixture has been arranged against Beddau on Saturday 13 December 2014, kick off 2-30pm.
Bridgend 20-27 Ebbw Vale
The Ravens lost out to a late fight back from Ebbw Vale, as the visitors scored two push over tries with less than five minutes of regulation time remaining.
The Steelmen dominated early on, but the excellent Ravens defensive effort saw them stand strong, managing to hold the opposition out.
The visitors pressure told as Josh Jacas went over for the opening score of the game. A couple of minutes later Iain Smerdon landed a penalty to give Ebbw Vale an eight point lead.
The Ravens got on the scoreboard following an inventive Dixon chip over the defensive line. A bit of fortune saw an Ebbw Vale defender slip and Thomas O’Flaherty capitalised. The Flyer gathered the loose ball and had more than enough pace and skill to easily round the two covering defenders and dot down. Dixon converted to close the gap to one point.
Bridgend were now playing with much more confidence, running with ball in hand. They were getting an edge in the scrum and won a kickable penalty. James Dixon lined up the shot at goal as 40 minutes approached. The fly half landed the penalty to give the Ravens a two point half time lead.
Bridgend started the second half on the front foot. An early drop goal effort from Dixon went just wide as the hosts looked to add to their lead.
It was Ebbw Vale that got the next score. The visitors’ forwards were beginning to gain some dominance. A powerful maul saw Ronny Kynes get the score. Smerdon was able to add the conversion.
A yellow card to Ebbw Vale winger Tom James for tackling O’Flaherty in the air gave the Ravens the opportunity to ply some pressure. The hosts were on the front foot once again. The ready-made overlap, due to the yellow card, was exploited and O’Flaherty went over in the corner for his second of the match. Dixon landed a great touchline conversion to edge the Ravens in front once again.
Further indiscipline from Ebbw Vale, mostly at scrum time, gave Bridgend some good field position. Dixon missed a shot at goal before he was handed another chance following further illegal scrimmaging. The visitors were down to fourteen men for the second time in the second half as Rob Sevenoaks was shown the yellow card. Dixon slotted the penalty as Bridgend looked to close out the game.
The powerful maul of the Ebbw Vale forwards would prove to be the winning aspect of the match. Two late maul drives, after Bridgend indiscipline gave them the opportunities deep in Ravens territory, secured the visitors a bonus point victory.
Aberavon 18 Cardiff 19
On a dreadful night with the pouring rain making handling extremely difficult, both sides served up a remarkably good and close match with Cardiff winning on goal-kicking.
Aberavon scored 2-1 on the try-count, but James Whittingham struck over five of his six attempts for his third club in four weeks.
Nic Damjanovic and Whittingham traded penalties before Damjanovic added a second and then his chip ahead saw wing Stefan Andrews send inside to Joe Gage, who returned it to Andrews for the score.
But, Aberavon conceded penalties and Whittingham placed three before the interval for a Cardiff lead at 12-11 and a try by replacement scrum half Tavis Knoyle increased it with Whittingham converting.
Aberavon forced Cardiff back at three successive scrums to be awarded a penalty try that replacement Ceiron Thomas converted, but that was as near as it got.
Pontypridd 36-10 Llanelli
There was plenty of momentum to the game’s early exchanges, both sides being attack minded, with Llanelli getting the better of things but their winger Frazier Climo off target with a long range penalty attempt.
A lively break by full back Jordan Williams gave the visitors further momentum, pressure maintained with an attack from the base of a scrum allowing centre Johnny Lewis to cut clean through for a try which Climo converted.
Ponty edged back into contention, solid in the scrums and kicking for territory, then putting width to their attacks, pressing to the line and driving over for a close range try claimed by hooker Huw Dowden. The game was being played at a frenetic pace with the home pack driving on effectively and giving their back line momentum to breach the gain line, their efforts rewarded as outside half Lewis K Williams stroked over a penalty with nineteen minutes gone.
Llanelli responded by capitalising on a loose phase of play, pressing up to the home twenty-two and enabling winger Climo to convert a penalty. The home team then spurned kicks at goal to aim for the corners, a tactic which paid off as a line out drive powered over the whitewash for flanker Jake Thomas to claim a try, converted from the touchline by Williams. Ponty were carrying and supporting well, taking scrum ball against the head and twice going close to scoring in the corner, well worth their interval lead of 15-10.
As the second half progressed Ponty continued to keep the ball in hand, playing through numerous phases and pounding into the visitors’ twenty-two. The ball was then spun wide for lock Seb Davies to stretch over for a score which was improved by Williams’ conversion.
Llanelli were by now struggling to gain any foothold in the game, their efforts to counter hounded out by the home defenders, who then turned into marauders with an all out offensive which however yielded no points. A line out drive again saw Ponty going close to scoring, followed by a series of close range penalties, scrums and line outs which finally paid off as no8 Dan Godfrey touched down, his try converted from a wide angle by Williams.
From the restart Llanelli made inroads into home territory, but losing possession time and again in the face of an aggressive home defence. There were periods of attack and counter attack, Ponty again going closest to scoring as livewire wing Lewis I Williams was hauled into touch just short.
Having withstood another phase of Llanelli attack, Ponty responded with a dynamic counter, showing great handling skills in doing so. Into injury time, the home team continued to poach possession and took the game to their opponents, a kick and rush foray down the flank culminating in a try scored by replacement Simon Humberstone and again converted from wide out by Lewis K Williams. A final score of 36pts to 10, with a try scoring bonus point added on, was testimony to Ponty’s superiority in an entertaining contest.
