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Bedwas suffered their second defeat of the season after falling a point short away to Rumney on Saturday September 30.
Despite a personal tally of 18 points from star man James Dixon, Bedwas fell to a 24-23 loss in their fourth WRU National Championship East match of the season.
On an overcast afternoon with a brisk cross field breeze, both sides took time to settle but it was Bedwas who scored first. A penalty kicked to touch saw a lineout won and from the catch and drive Lewis Crane dived over for a try with ten minutes played. Dixon added the conversion.
The Cardiff-based hosts hit back with a try halfway through the half, with Alfy Johnson crossing. Jake Hillman’s conversion levelled the scores.
Rumney increased their advantage two minutes later courtesy of a try by No8 Tom Rogers, which was unconverted.
Bedwas took off young flanker Lucas Weeks, moving Lewis Crane to the back row and Rhys Hutcherson to hooker and Brynley Toms coming on at tight head prop.
However, Rumney were not finished and a second try for hard-working No8 Rogers increased their lead, but the conversion kick went wide.
Just before the break Dixon reduced arrears with a well-struck penalty goal to see Bedwas trail by seven points at the interval.
After the teams returned to the field following the break, Hillman missed an early penalty opportunity for Rumney. However, it was Bedwas who scored next, through a Dixon penalty, to reduce the arrears to just four points shortly afterwards.
A further Dixon penalty with fifteen minutes to play bought Bedwas to within a point.
But any hope of a comeback were dashed when replacement Marvin Hutchings set off on an arcing run from deep. With the Bedwas defence static, Hutchings took full advantage to cross for a try. Hillman added the conversion, putting his side eight points ahead with eight minutes remaining.
Two minutes from time Bedwas attacked the home line and Dixon pirouetted his way through the home defence to touch down under the posts, before converting his own try. Just one point now separated the teams.
Bedwas sniffed a chance of an unlikely victory, but the Rumney defence was in no mood to concede what they had earned and deservedly held out to claim a bonus point win. Bedwas had to settle for a losing bonus point.
Bedwas return to action on Saturday October 14, when they host Penallta at the Bridgefield for a 1pm kick-off.
Match report and imagery courtesy of Ian Lovell of Bedwas RFC
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