Bargoed’s perfect start to the season continued with victory against Narbeth on October 11 – their sixth in a row in the Swalec Championship.
They won 23-16 at Bargoed Park, keeping them top of the table and six points clear of second place Tata Steel.
Outside-halves Josh Prosser and Ianto Griffiths swapped penalties before the home side scored the first try on 20 minutes.
Young full-back Callum Jones, who was making his debut for the seniors, fielded a wayward penalty and ran back at the opposition linking with wing Dai James.
The ball reached Prosser, who chipped the defence for wing Lewis Protheroe to gather well and power over.
The Blues extended their lead just five minutes later. A crooked lineout throw by the Narberth hooker gave Bargoed a scrum on the half-way line.
Ross Coombes picked up at eight and fed scrum-half James Pizey who fired a long pass to centre Darren Humphries. He straightened, broke a tackle and ran in from 45 metres.
Prosser converted and added a penalty to make it 18-6 as the game entered injury time.
The final action of the half saw Bargoed scrum-half James Pizey yellow carded for a high tackle and Narbeth full-back Johnny Morgan followed him for retaliating.
Ianto Griffiths got another three points back for Narberth and they sniffed a way back into the game.
Bargoed’s lineout surprisingly faltered and Griffiths kicked behind the solid Bargoed midfield defence and the pressure built.
The Blues’ passing game, which had been so precise in the first five games, deserted them as several final passes failed to go to hand with the line begging.
Narbeth seized their chance and hit back with a delicate chip from Griffiths, which full-back Johnny Morgan latched on to cross for a try which Griffiths converted to make it 18-16.
Bargoed scored their third try from a Narberth scrum which the Blues’ pack disrupted. Lock Geraint Edmonds took the ball on and set it up for Darren Humphries to slip an underhand pass to brother Rhys on the wing to score in the corner. Prosser’s conversion was pulled across the front of the posts.
Narberth camped in the Bargoed 22 for the last ten minutes and piled on the pressure. The Blues succumbed and gave away several penalties which Narberth took as scrums. Bargoed replacement prop Ian Jenkins got a yellow card, but the magnificent seven held out against the Narberth onslaught as referee Robert Price blew up with the score 23-1.
• The other Caerphilly County Borough clubs are not faring so well in the league, both propping up the table.
Newbridge are bottom with two points, having lost 31-15 at home to Tata Steel in the latest round.
Blackwood lost narrowly to Bridgend Athletic, the 29-21 defeat enough for a bonus point, leaving them second from bottom with six points.