Bargoed RFC edged out local rivals Newbridge 21-7 in the Swalec Championship, but missed out on the crucial bonus point needed to close the gap on RGC 1404 in fourth place.
Both sides did well to play any sort of rugby in dreadful conditions at Bargoed Park and three first half tries were enough to give the Blues a convincing win.
Callum Jones reached touch with a long kick from inside the Bargoed half, and following a scrappy lineout, the resulting scrum enabled the Blues pack to drive over the Newbridge line with number 8 Ross Coombes claiming the score.
Jones converted impressively from out wide and the home side were 7-0 up after just ten minutes.
Coombes picked up his second try on the half-hour mark. Grant Rogers was held up short of the line after a mazy run at the Newbridge defence. A series of scrums once again eventually led to Coombes crossing the whitewash. Jones again converted to make it 14-0.
Bargoed were reduced to fourteen men soon after, when Swansea referee Greg Morgan showing a yellow card to Blues’ flanker Lewis Weyman on 31 minutes. Newbridge hooker Stuart Vokes joined him seven minutes later, earning Bargoed a penalty.
With their pack impressing, the Blues called another scrum, and referee Morgan this time went under the posts for a penalty try. Jones converted to make it 21-0 at the break.
The second half was an attritional affair, with conditions deteriorating and handling becoming increasingly difficult.
Newbridge hit back with a well-worked try from a scrum, with winger Gerwyn Davies going over in the corner and Simon Veale converting to close the gap to 14 points early into the half.
Any chance of a comeback was soon quashed, however, when Davies was shown a red card for using a knee on a Bargoed player.
The Blues pressed on in search of a vital fourth try, but Newbridge held out and the home side had to settle for a 4 point home win, still holding a game in hand on RGC.