Bargoed 29 – 9 Swansea
Saturday September 17, Bargoed
Bargoed registered their first win in the Principality Premiership with a comprehensive bonus-point victory over promotion colleagues Swansea. It was a welcome confidence-boost following the narrow defeat against Neath on the opening weekend, and the loss away to Llandovery last week.
The All Whites opened the scoring with a Jac Wilson penalty on ten minutes, but the home side hit back with the first try of the game just four minutes later.
Outside-half Sam Withers put a penalty into touch 15 metres from the Swansea line. The forwards drove at the line and Rhys Morgan, Ian Jenkins and Ross Coombes all went close, but some desperate defending kept them out. Eventually, the pressure told and second-row Bryce Morgan crossed from short range. Withers added the conversion and Bargoed were ahead 7-3.
After Wilson converted another Swansea penalty, Bargoed piled on the pressure and really should have gone further ahead with great surges by Bryce Morgan and fellow second-row Louis Blacker but Swansea held out and cleared their lines.
Wilson missed two kickable penalties before putting a third over, to make it 7-9 with the half coming to a close. However, straight from the restart, great hands from hooker Ian Jenkins set Hudd away, and after he was stopped, centre Darren Humphries stretched out to just reach the whitewash. Withers converted and Bargoed were in front 14-9 at the break.
Bargoed did themselves no favours from the outset of the second half, giving away three penalties in quick succession. Further indiscipline was too much for referee Wayne Davies, who flashed a yellow card to centre Phil Price for slowing the ball down at a ruck under the Bargoed posts.
Surprisingly, Swansea called a scrum rather than take three easy points and moments later rued that decision when the Bulls’ pack drove them off their put-in, and were awarded a penalty which Withers cleared to touch.
Swansea’s mistakes were mounting, and a long raking kick looked to be going dead under the supervision of an All White defender, but the referee and touch judge consulted and decided that he had misjudged the touch in goal and conceded a five-metre scrum.
The scrum was wheeled, and Pizey had a dart from the base towards the tryline, but was held up. The ball was recycled and No8 Ross Coombes took it at pace and went over near the posts. Withers converted to make it 21-9.
Swansea were making no headway and Bargoed captain Leigh Meades, on as a replacement, took the sensible option of going for the posts with a penalty to take the game away from the visitors at 24-9 with three minutes left.
With the game deep into stoppage time, Swansea full-back Jordan Purcell dived in the corner for a losing bonus-point try. Withers missed the conversion at the death.
Bargoed chairman Neil Carter was full of praise for his side, saying: “We were taught a lesson last week and it was important that we bounced back quickly.
“We did that and more today – we know that Swansea would have targeted this game as we did and to outscore themfour tries to nil was a credit to the squad and the coaches for their preparation off the field and execution on it.”
Match report by Peter Greening of Bargoed RFC.