RUGBY UNION: Bargoed and Cross Keys have made it through to the quarter-finals of the WRU National Cup after stunning wins from each team on Saturday, January 27.
After beating Rhydyfelin 40-0, Bargoed will now face either Bridgend or Ebbw Vale at Bargoed Park.
Cross Keys meanwhile will have Llandovery to contend with at home in Pandy Park after they beat Bedlinog 41-7.
Bedwas meanwhile still have their clash with Championship side Beddau to play after their match was postponed.
The winner will have home advantage over Newport.
There will be a battle of the champions in the quarter-finals of the cup when unbeaten Championship title holders Pontypool head to The Wern to meet reigning Principality Premiership champions, Merthyr.
Pontypool comfortably beat Carmarthen Quins in the last round as they added another Premiership scalp to those of Llanelli and Cardiff they picked up in last season’s cup run. They were eventually beaten at Cross Keys in the last eight.
Merthyr are currently riding high at the top of the Premiership table as they go in search of back-to-back titles. They reached the cup semi-finals last year before going out to a dramatic late score against eventual winners RGC 1404.
The two teams last met in the Championship in the 2015/16 season, when the Ironmen won the title. Pooler won 20-13 in Merthyr, but were then beaten 33-13 at home.
Bargoed run in six tries with no response as they beat Rhydyfelin 40-0
Bargoed progressed to the quarter finals of the WRU National Cup with a comfortable six-try victory over Championship challengers Rhydyfelin.
The game, which had been switched to the all-weather surface at the Ystrad Mynach Centre of Excellence, was finely balanced at half-time with the Blues leading only by a single score. The second half was a different matter with Bargoed scoring five unanswered tries.
Rhydyfelin had the better of the first quarter but couldn’t put points on the board. The Blues squandered a number of chances, uncharacteristically spilling several balls, before centre Lewis Bowden powered his way through four tackles to open the scoring. Matthew Lewis converted and that’s the way it stayed until half-time.
Bargoed doubled their tally within a minute of the second half starting. Jonathan Armitage charging down a clearing kick and following up to score. Lewis added the extras to make it 14-0.
The third try came from a scrum on the half way. Darren Humphries has scored some great tries for Bargoed over the years but this was one of his best. He took the ball inside the Blues’ half and cut through the Rhydyfelin midfield changing angle a couple of times and running in a brilliant solo effort. Lewis put over the conversion and made it 21-0 after 52 minutes.
The championship side were reduced to 14 with referee Jason Bessant showing a yellow card to wing Jordan Rees for an offence as the try was scored.
Five minutes later and any thoughts that Rhydyfelin had of getting back into the game ended with the Blues’ fourth try, this time Ieuan Jones and Louis Blacker combined to put Matthew Lewis over and he converted his own try to take the score to 28-0.
Just on the hour, Rhydyfelin were down to 13 for a few minutes with tighthead prop Kelvin Williams joining Rees in the bin for successive penalties at scrums on their five-metre line. However, Bargoed’s dominant scrum didn’t benefit as the opposition called passive scrums.
Jordan Howells came on for Lewis Bowden and scored with his first touch which Lewis converted and Duane Dyer got the sixth and final try after great work by replacement scrum half Matt Bancroft and a searing run from Ashley Norton. Lewis missed his only kick of the afternoon rounding off a man of the match performance with 15 points and Bargoed ran out winners by 40-0.
The Blues will now face Bridgend or Ebbw Vale.
• Match report by Peter Greening of Bargoed RFC.
Cross Keys sail past Bedlinog with comfortable cup tie win
Cross Keys made it through to the quarter finals of the WRU National Cup for the fifth consecutive season with a comfortable victory over plucky championship side Bedlinog in Round 2 at Pandy Park.
With heavy conditions under foot, this clash was never likely to prove to be a cup classic.
Despite both side’s efforts the game, particularly in the first half, was scrappy with a number of handling errors and untidy passages of play throughout the opening 40 minutes.
It was Keys who opened the scoring when they created an overlap out wide. Winger Nathan Trowbridge was into space and he did the rest to cross for the game’s opening score with less than five minutes played. Josh Prosser added the conversion.
The game continued to be stop-start as the referee’s whistle dominated proceedings.
The visitors were guilty of conceding numerous penalties, meaning that any opportunities they might have had to get themselves back in the game went astray with Keys able to clear any danger.
Josh Prosser slotted over two penalties in quick succession for Keys, midway through the half and the team went close to crossing the whitewash only for the Foxes to clear their lines thanks to their well-organised defence.
On the stroke of half-time the visitors conceded another penalty and the referee lost patience and showed hooker Nathan Huish a yellow card thanks largely to the number of penalties awarded against his side in the first half.
The Keys wasted no time in extending their lead early in the second half after a sustained period of pressure led to full-back Leon Andrews having the strength to cross for his side’s second try of the game close to the posts at the clubhouse end. Josh Prosser added the straight forward conversion.
The Foxes then enjoyed their best period of the game as Keys were beginning to commit several offences which enabled the visitors to clear their lines and make their way upfield to pin Keys back to their own 22.
That pressure finally told when after 55 minutes of play, the Foxes grabbed their opening points of the game when, following a close range lineout, second row Damon Pritchard was driven over for the try. Outside-half Liam Jones converted. The visitors used this score as a catalyst and can perhaps consider themselves unlucky to have not put more points on the board despite another good period of play in Keys’ territory.
They also had a one man advantage going in to the closing 15 minutes when Keys’ No 8 Adam Powell was sent to the sinbin.
Despite being a man down, Keys upped the ante going in to the final ten minutes when a break by Mathew Powell, after good work by Leon Andrews in defence, saw Powell deliver a scoring pass to centre Lewis Barnett who crossed to all but seal victory in the closing five minutes. Replacement Corey Shephard added the conversion from in front of the sticks.
Keys attacked immediately from the kick-off, when a break from halfway saw Barnett again work in to space and he crossed in front of the score board for his second try with the game entering added time. Shephard added the conversion from out wide.
There was still time for Keys to grab their fifth try when a break down field saw Mathew Powell use his pace to good effect and cross in the corner with Barnett this time delivering the scoring pass for the try which was converted by Shephard with the final play of the half.
• Match report provided by Cross Keys RFC.