Principality Welsh Premiership, Saturday 17 September 2011.
Match report by Terry Williams, photography by Ian Lovell
Indiscipline and missed tackles gave Bedwas far too much to do to gain any reward from this trip to Llanelli’s Parc y Scarlets stadium.
Two early Llanelli penalties on half way set the tone, Llanelli’s outside half Jordan Williams successful with one of them. Bedwas had a chance to get on the board but Powell’s kick went wide.
Llanelli wing Bowdy Davies broke past several weak tackles to put Williams away, his kick ahead was re-gathered by Davies for a try, Williams converted and Bedwas were 10 points behind with barely 10 minutes gone. Once again Bedwas had an opportunity to get points on the board but again Powell’s kick went wide.
Bedwas then had what only can be described as 10 minutes of madness. First, prop Matthew Pettit was sin binned for killing the ball on 14 minutes and five minutes later captain Deri Mattravers joined him for what the referee judged a similar offence.
Two minutes after Mattravers departure and Bedwas backs were against the wall when Llanelli’s Jordan Williams added a try he converted himself. Bedwas battled bravely but playing against 15 with 13 is not easy but Llanelli couldn’t add any further points whilst Bedwas were short on numbers.
It wasn’t long though before Llanelli increased their lead. Number 8 Matt Gilbert broke from the back of a scrum and fed the ball to full back Jonny Lewis who sped over the visitor’s line, Williams added the conversion for a 24 points to 0 lead. Llanelli ended the half with 14 men with their number 8 Gilbert in the bin for kicking the ball out of a ruck.
Bedwas had a mountain to climb to get back into the game, any hope they may have harboured evaporated on 49 minutes when flanker Simon Grainger was sent off for reckless use of the boot.
Bedwas introduced several substitutes but could find no way through an organised home defence and fell further behind when Llanelli prop Rhys Thomas crossed for an unconverted try.
Referee Chris Williams had a busy afternoon with the sin binning of Llanelli’s Thomas and Evans after 64 and 66 minutes respectively but the home defence were in no mood to give Bedwas any crumbs and would not be broken.
The home side’s winger Davies wrapped up the scoring after 72 minutes with a bones point earning try converted by Williams and Bedwas were left licking their wounds. Bedwas will need to regroup quickly before the visit of Cardiff to the Bridge Field on Saturday September 24, kick off 2.30pm.