Bedwas 31-25 Neath
Saturday September 24, Bedwas
Two Bedwas tries in the first seven minutes looked to have laid the foundations for a comfortable home win in the Principality Premiership, but Neath ran them close, as they came within a whisker of snatching the spoils at the death.
Bedwas found themselves five points ahead within three minutes of the kick-off on Saturday September 24, when George Gasson dived over for the opening try. Fly-half Richard Powell’s first effort at kicking for goal rebounded off the post.
Back-rower Robson Blake doubled the home side’s lead soon after, and despite another missed conversion, it looked like Bedwas were firmly in control of proceedings.
However, the glut of tries continued, as Neath responded in perfect fashion with just ten minutes on the clock.
After patient build-up through several phases, the ball was worked to winger Aaron Grabham, who hugged the right-hand touchline and touched down. Luke Price added the conversion to bring the score back to 10-7.
Bedwas regrouped and continued to assert their dominance, but couldn’t find a third score. Props Matthew Pettit and Brynley Toms both had tries disallowed, the former for a forward pass, before Toms’ effort was chalked off after his fellow forwards were called offside at a ruck.
Home nerves were settled when centre Pat Lewis won the race to a loose ball and crossed the whitewash, with Powell nailing the conversion on his third attempt.
The match tempo dropped as the two sides slogged it out in the middle of the park for a tough period, before Price and Powell traded penalties to get the scoreboard moving once again.
Neath winger Kristian Corbisiero grabbed his side’s second try as the first half drew to a close, but Bedwas had the last say with an astronomical penalty from captain Powell to take the scores to 23-17.
Despite an early second half penalty, Bedwas were ruing their indiscipline for a consecutive week after an off-the-ball foul saw Aaron Bramwell sent to the sin-bin.
Reduced to fourteen men, the home side’s fluency disappeared, and only Neath’s profligacy saved them from conceding, even after Matthew Pettit became the second Bedwas player to leave the field.
Price added another penalty to reduce the deficit to within six points, and with one minute left on the clock, Neath full-back Ed Howley grabbed a try, reacting quickest to a poor Bedwas clearance.
Crucially, fly-half Price missed the conversion which would have put his side ahead with seconds remaining.
Bedwas had other ideas, and worked the ball to prop Dan Preece who charged through for Bedwas’ bonus-point score.
Powell’s conversion attempt went wide, but the final whistle soon followed, calling an end to the enthralling encounter with the scores resting at 31-25.
The home side have now won three on the bounce, and sit third in the Principality Premiership table. They face Llandovery on Saturday October 1.
• Match report and photography by Ian Lovell of Bedwas RFC.