Despite injuries and unavailabilities, Trebanos, who beat Bedwas at Principality Stadium to win the WRU Premiership Plate, made the trip to Bargoed Park and gave the home side the chance to shoot for the title.
Neath had overtaken them at the top the night before with their 20-16 win over Cross Keys in the final game of their 150th anniversary season. That took them two points clear.
It meant Bargoed had to secure a win to finish as the top team in the league. They did so thanks to a six-try salvo, with Jordan Howells bagging two and Callum Jones, Dylan Williams, James Leadbetter and Keegan Bale getting the others.
“We were very grateful to Trebanos for making the trip and their young side played their hearts out. We knew what we had to do and we managed to score six tries to ensure we couldn’t be beaten regardless of what happened,” said team manager Brett Wakefield.
With only one defeat in 13 games they ended on 56 points. Neath were second with 53 and Pontypool ended their season on 46, with two games unplayed. Pooler were rightfully unhappy that they couldn’t rearrange their abandoned game against Ystalyfera or encourage Beddau to play their allotted fixture.
Even so, having lost two games during their season, had they picked up the 10 points on offer from their last two matches they wouldn’t have been able to unseat Bargoed form the top spot as the number of wins was the next determining factor in who goes above who in the table.
Pontypool were beaten 9-3 at Neath and 22-10 at Bargoed, but went through the season unbeaten at home. Ystalyfera have decided not to play their final two away games. However, among the first to congratulate The Bulls was the Pontypool chief executive, Ben Jeffreys.
“Congratulations to Bargoed RFC for their National Championship success this season. They were a class above everyone else and are deserving champions. I’d like to also congratulate Neath on a strong campaign and we look forward to an exciting battle for promotion next season,” he wrote on Twitter.
Neath had tries from Sion Crocker and Nicky Griffiths, as well as 10 points from the boot of outside half Iestyn Morgan to thank for their victory over Leys on Friday night. Centre Adam Tetley kicked three penalties for Keys and converted their try by Louis Tovey.
Glynneath beat Nantyffyllon 20-17 to finish sixth in Division 1 West Central, while Aberystwyth and Newcastle Emlyn played out a 31-31 draw in the final of the Scarlets Cup.
