Bargoed maintained their hundred per-cent SWALEC Championship record with a gritty bonus point win, beating Bridgend Athletic 31-15 at Newbridge Fields.
The Blues got off to the best possible start with a strong Phil Price break through the centre before he was stopped short of the line.
Hooker Leigh Meades recycled and Darren Humphries spotted the overlap with Price having got back into position to score out wide.
Josh Prosser added the extras magnificently out of the mud to put Bargoed 7-0 up with barely a minute gone.
The Athletic supporters must have feared the worst going behind so early but a combination of dogged defence and numerous handling errors in the slippery conditions conspired to make the first half a scrappy affair.
The sides cancelled each other out until the home side got some points on the board with an Aled Thomas penalty on 25 minutes.
Bridgend Athletic captain and flanker Matthew Hillman was shown a yellow card just before half time and Bargoed called a scrum from the penalty under the posts.
The drive came on and over went the pack for what appeared to be the second try,only for referee Gareth John to disallow it for a knock on.
The second-half saw Bargoed tighten up their game and the forwards took complete control. A patient build up turned the screws and a Josh Prosser penalty extended the Blues’ lead.
Bargoed’s second try came from a hack on by centre Darren Humphries, the home defence scrambled but conceded a scrum five metres out.
The rampant Bargoed pack drove and the inevitable illegal intervention came as the eight crossed the line and the Chepstow referee went straight under the posts to signal a penalty try. Prosser again converted to make it 17-3.
The Blues went further ahead when wing Jordan Purcell burst 45 metres up field before tripping over a flailing defender and knocked on.
The Bridgend scrum was disrupted, Bargoed had the put in at the second scrum and the pack again drove over, this time with number eight Geraint Edmunds controlling at the back and falling on the ball for the third try. Prosser added the extras to make it 24-3.
Bargoed lock Darren Lynch then got a yellow card for a ruck infringement and the Athletic sniffed a way back.
In the space of six minutes two line-outs delivered tries for Matthew Hillman and Griff Davies, both from catches and drives with Aled Thomas converting one. That made it 24-15 with the clock approaching eighty minutes.
However, Bargoed weren’t finished and a thrilling final phase of play saw Bargoed’s forwards work the ball up field.
They won two penalties and demonstrated great patience to set up an attacking scrum from a third penalty just seven metres out.
The drive came on and as the scrum wheeled, number eight Edmunds picked up and crashed over the line for Bargoed’s fourth and bonus point try. Prosser made it five from five and Bargoed ended the game winning by 31 points to 15.