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Bedwas RFC 37-26 Glamorgan Wanderers

The Welsh Rugby Union Admiral Championship got off to a winning start for Bedwas RFC this weekend as they beat Glamorgan Wanderers at the Bridgefield.

The game saw both sides sharing eight tries in what turned out to be a classic ‘game of two halves’.

Wanderers took the lead after 15 minutes the ball being moved across the field for flanker Osian Phillips to score in the right-hand corner. Aled Evans successfully adding the extras.

After 20 minutes, Bedwas were awarded a penalty eight metres from the Wanderers line and captain Dale Rogers was alert as a quick tap and dive over the line was rewarded with a try, debutant outside-half Lloyd Wilkins duly adding the conversion.

Wanderers surged back and from a line out used their big forwards to good affect to drive hooker Jac Williams over the line. This time Evans missed with his conversion kick.

A Wanderers lineout 35 metres out should have presented no threat, but the ball was tapped down to scrum half Steffan Davies, whose diagonal run past a static home defence ended with a try under the posts. Evans converted.

Three minutes later and a kick through saw the ball evade the covering Bedwas defence and left winger Ioan Cooper collected the ball and ran through for his side’s fourth and bonus-point winning try. Evans again converted.

Wanderers were 28-7 to the good going into half-time – leaving Bedwas a mountain to climb.

Bedwas pulled a try back after 50 minutes as hooker Mike Dacey was driven over from a driving maul to reduce the arrears, Wilkins converted.

Around the hour mark another driving maul from the home side saw debutant lock forward Jo Hole crash through for a try, Wilkins’ conversion reducing the deficit to five points.

Bedwas tails were up and a few minutes later a smartly taken quick tap penalty by Lewis Crane and successful Lloyd Wilkins conversion put Bedwas ahead for the first time in the contest and earn a bonus point.

Wanderers had no answers to Bedwas’ dominance and their discipline crumbled as three successful Wilkins penalties in the last six minutes cemented the win – completing a remarkable comeback by the home side.

In their next game, Bedwas make the short journey up the Rhymney Valley to face Bargoed RFC, with the kicking off at 2.30pm on Saturday, September 10.

Match report and images from Ian Lovell of Bedwas RFC