Bargoed closed the gap on the fourth place promotion spot to just five points, scoring 26 unanswered points in an impressive second half against a feisty Glynneath outfit at Abernant Park on Saturday, February 27.
The Blues suffered an early injury setback with prop Ali Gardner-Key going off in the fifth minute.
Jack Williams replaced him and the young tighthead prop was the first on the scoreboard.
Bargoed took a Glynneath scrum against the head and outside-half Callum Jones attacked the line, but was held up. The ball was quickly recycled to Williams, who crashed over from short range. Jones added the extras against a stiff breeze.
Bargoed continued to press, but a knock-on was hacked upfield by Glynneath’s Jordan Griffiths, and the ball sat up nicely for the centre to cross unopposed.
Lloyd Thomas converted and it was all square at 7-7 after 17 minutes.
The rest of the half was a tight, scrappy affair. Handling was difficult in the cold wind, and frequent blasts of the referee’s whistle made for a frustratingly stop-start spectacle.
It was the home side who went into the break with the lead, following a Lloyd Thomas penalty to edge it 10-7 at half time.
Bargoed dominated the second half from the outset.
Winger Gareth Dare bounced off tackles in typical style to put replacement Matthew Hurley – on for the injured Callum Jones – into space, and the outside-half ghosted through the defence, slipping a pass to Lewis Protheroe for the centre to cross for the visitor’s second try. Hurley converted to restore Bargoed’s lead just three minutes after the restart.
Dare was in action again soon after, as Bargoed secured a third try.
Prominent loosehead Keiron Brown made ground and offloaded to Hurley, who had Dare outside him.
The winger smashed through two tackles on a rampaging run up the touchline to score in the corner. Hurley, having his best game for the Blues this season, converted impressively from out wide to extend the lead to 11 points.
The bonus point try came three minutes later.
Back row forward Lewis Weyman burst through on the halfway line, as Keiron Brown took it on with Dare supporting.
The move ground to a halt illegally under the posts with a penalty awarded by referee Dai Cambourne.
Bargoed tapped and went, and Jack Williams was held up before the ball was moved wide for centre Darren Humphries to cross in the corner. The conversion failed but Bargoed were comfortably ahead at 10-26 as the game entered the final quarter.
Bargoed had one last score in them, and it came two minutes from time.
James Pizey tapped and caught the home defence napping on the halfway line, and the replacement scrum-half ran in the fifth try.
Hurley rounded off a fine second half display with his third conversion to end the game 10-33.
Bargoed are now well-placed for the run-in with eight home games from the remaining ten, including visits from all four top placed sides.
Table-toppers Merthyr arrive at Bargoed Park on Saturday March 5, before RGC – who currently occupy fourth place – follow the week after.
The next two weeks could be season-defining for the reigning champions.
• Match report by Peter Greening of Bargoed RFC.