Bedwas RFC 57 Cross Keys RFC 34
Principality Welsh Premiership, Saturday April 21
Bedwas won an entertaining 14-try festival in what was the most entertaining game seen at the Bridgefield this season.
The home side started at a furious pace with Steffan Jones crossing for the first try after just four minutes before putting the icing on the cake with a sweetly struck conversion.
Keys battled back and after sustained possession reduced the deficit via a Josh Prosser penalty goal.
A fine run by Joe Scrivens was rewarded with a try, but Bedwas lost lock forward Gareth Allen to injury and was replaced by debutant Adam Dove.
Matthew Powell reduced the arrears for the visitors crossing in the corner following a fine run.
A Cross Keys line-out was adjudged not straight and from the scrum Tom Rowlands darted over for a converted try.
Keys hit back straight away with a fine jinking run by centre Barney Nightingale earning him a try.
The two sides were trading tries as the Bridgemen’s Ryan Davies found time and space to sprint through for a try in the corner to bring up the four-try bonus point.
The second half was barely two minutes old when Davies added his second try of the day.
Replacement flanker Joe Thomas reduced the arrears for the visitors five minutes later, but the Bedwas response took barely two minutes as Steffan Jones glided through for his second try.
Keys lost prop forward Scott Evans to the sin bin and Bedwas took immediate advantage with Mike Dacey emerging with the ball for his first try for the club.
No further scores were notched until the 71st minute when Keys’ skipper Scott Matthews crossed to earn his side a bonus point with their fourth try of the afternoon.
Bedwas full back Aaron Bramwell notched a try to take Bedwas to 50 points, but Thomas scored his second of the afternoon after 79 minutes and looked to be the final score of an entertaining game.
But Bedwas had other ideas and Davies claimed his hat-trick try with the last move of the game.
Casa Mia Restaurant of Caerphilly Bedwas man-of-the-match was Andrew Waite.
Bargoed visit the Bridgefield on Wednesday April 25, kick off 7-15pm.
- Match report and photography by Ian Lovell of Bedwas RFC.