SWALEC Division One East
Bargoed took advantage of Ebbw Vale’s weekend off to draw level with the Steelmen at the top of Swalec Division One East after a narrow win at Gilfach Goch.
The highfliers were made to work hard for their 12-9 victory at WelfarePark, but scored two tries, through winger Lee Pearson and a penalty try. The hosts, who remain fourth despite the defeat, could only reply with three penalty kicks for winger Adam Wray.
Third-placed Newbridge, who started the day level on points with Gilfach, ran out comfortable 31-7 winners over visiting Mountain Ash, picking up a crucial bonus point in the process. In an open and expansive game at the Welfare Ground, home scrum half Tom Edwards and winger Dwayne Dyer bagged a brace of tries apiece, with outside half Neil Burnett adding a try of his own and three conversions.
An incident-packed encounter at the Oval saw visitors Beddau run out 20-15 winners to narrow the gap with hosts Treorchy. In a game dominated by a strong wind, it took a 78th-minute try from Beddau replacement back row Owen Sheppeard – who emerged from a pile of bodies following a driving maul – to win it for the visitors.
Yellow cards for the hosts proved to be their downfall, with captain and second row Jamie Summers in the sin bin when Sheppeard touched down. The Zebras had taken a 15-13 lead with just a quarter of an hour to play after a try for number 8 Daniel Thorne, but were unable to hold on for the win. Earlier, first half tries had come from Treorchy full back Jordan Lloyd and Beddau centre Bradley Coombes.
Merthyr also recorded a 20-15 win, in their case over the Glamorgan Wanderers at the Wern. The Wanderers, who remain in 11th place despite just their third defeat in six games, were 12-0 up just before the half-time break, but tries either side of the break from Ironmen scrumhalf Darryl Jenkins and hooker Kristian Dacey secured the win. Wanderers’ five-pointers came courtesy of centre partnership Charlie Johnson and Joe Xiberras.
Elsewhere, a try each from centres Adam Jones and Jamie Jones helped Blackwood to a 17-8 over Rumney in a low-scoring but entertaining affair at Glan-yr-AfonPark.
SWALEC Division One West
TATA Steel recorded the result of the day in Swalec Division One West with a comprehensive ten-try 67-6 victory over struggling Ammanford at Groes Fields.
Right winger Jordan Skidmore was the hero for the Saints, bagging a hat trick of tries and also bursting 60 metres through a host of Ammanford defenders to set up another score for full back Daniel Blethyn. TATA had wrapped up the try-scoring bonus point by half-time but cut loose after the break to add another six touchdowns – while the Ammanford now have the unenviable record of being the league’s leakiest defence.
League leaders Narbeth stayed top with a 16-12 win at home to Llangennech. The Otters were outscored two tries to one and only led 7-5 at the interval but held on for the win. Each side was awarded a penalty try in a game that saw a number of collapsed scrums. Fly-half Ricky Williams went over for Llangennech’s second score and added a conversion but Stuart Morris’s three penalties and a conversion proved to be the difference.
Waunarlwydd beat third placed Whitland 35-23 in a thriller at Roseland Road. The hosts were ahead 13-3 at half-time and went on to secure a bonus point for scoring four tries. Nathan Hart, wingers Andrew Rees-Spowart and Daniel Fox and second row Daniel Moyle all crossed for the home side. Lee Evans added three conversions and three penalties to seal an ultimately comfortable win. Whitland crossed twice themselves, Dylan Richards and Jack Mason scoring in a thrilling second–half but it proved to be in vain.
UWIC took advantage of Whitland’s defeat to close the gap on the Borderers in third and keep alive their faint title hopes following a bonus-point 23-18 win at Llanharan. Tries for the Students came courtesy of wing Owen Jenkins, second row Josh Tyler, flanker Kyle Taylor and outside half Rhys Roberts, with the two Nathans – Huish and Rees – responding for the hosts.
Bottom club Bonymaen’s recent good run continued as they moved up three places after a 10-9 win away at Tondu. In what was a poor game in truth, a try from Bonymaen number 8 Adrian Cousins proved the deciding factor with Richard Cunniffe kicking a penalty and conversion.
Bridgend Athletic replaced Bonymaen at the foot of the table after the Newbridge Fields outfit suffered a 29-8 defeat at Carmarthen Athletic. The hosts’ backs profited, with tries coming from full back Mike Sauro, wing partners Luke Marshall and Owen Herbert before centre Jason Smith notched up the bonus-point score. Sauro added the other nine points with his boot.
