Bargoed made it nine straight wins with a magnificent bonus point victory over Swansea at St Helen’s in the SWALEC Championship.
Top of the table Bargoed won 27-6 despite a controversial half time decision which threatened to take away their forward domination for the second half.
The Whites opened the scoring with a Nicky Thomas penalty after just five minutes.
Despite that setback Bargoed looked strong up front and played the blindside to good effect. Outside half Josh Prosser kicked a penalty to the Swansea twenty two and a clean catch and drive saw the Blues go over for what appeared to be the first try, but the referee was unsighted and called a scrum five metres out.
Number eight Ross Coombes broke and fed wing Lewis Protheroe, but he was driven back and Swansea scrambled the ball into touch.
From the lineout Coombes took a front ball and peeled with Steffan Jouxson in support and the big flanker made the most of the narrow side to cross in the corner. Prosser’s conversion was held up in the strong breeze but Bargoed were in front by after 15 minutes.
The Bargoed pack was playing havoc with the Whites’ eight and the second try came from a Swansea put in at a scrum which crumbled under pressure.
Coombes put second row Geraint Edmunds away to once again exploit the blindside and score in the corner.
Prosser’s conversion again drifted wide and just after the restart Nicky Thomas added a second penalty to narrow the gap to four points as Bargoed led by 6-10.
As the half drew to a close the Blues had a good attacking position from a scrum just outside the Swansea twenty two.
Lewis Protheroe came off his wing and took up a place in the outside half position and took the ball at pace but was held up.
The forwards took it on and quick ball saw centre Darren Humphries carry and Protheroe power over for Bargoed’s third. Prosser converted this time to make it 6-17 at the break.
It became clear just after the second half started that Swansea had requested uncontested scrums. To say that the Bargoed travelling supporters were upset by this was an understatement.
Nevertheless the Blues extended their lead with a well struck Josh Prosser penalty and Lewis Protheroe crossed for what looked to be a cracking try only to be called back by referee Jonathan Mason for a forward pass.
The third quarter was still dominated by Bargoed but the game seemed to lose momentum and intensity following the uncontested scrum decision and it became rather scrappy.
Bargoed piled on the pressure looking for the bonus point try and right at the death replacement prop Kieron Brown burst through the midfield and set up quick ball for Josh Prosser to find himself in space.
The outside half, who had had a superb second half kicking out of hand, crossed to score the fourth try and added the conversion for good measure to make the final score a memorable 6-27.
Bargoed chairman Neil Carter was understandably delighted. He said: “We would have taken any sort of win today but to win in the way that we did dealing with a disrupted second half through no fault of our own, was just outstanding.
“I have to pay great credit to the coaches, team management and of course the players for making it nine in a row – eight of them with bonus points. The team can take a well earned break now for the Autumn internationals.”