Bedwas 32-24 Cross Keys
Friday, November 24, Bridgefield
A strong second half showing helped Bedwas to victory against Cross Keys on a cold November evening at the Bridgefield in the Principality Premiership East.
The home side dominated possession for the first ten minutes but could not turn their territorial advantage into points as the Keys defence kept them at bay.
Against the run of play, the visitors took the lead in the tenth minute. A loose ball was hacked through from the Bedwas 22-metre line, and Josh Skinner collected to crash through for a try. Josh Prosser easily added the conversion.
Bedwas reduced the arrears two minutes later thanks to a penalty from Steffan Jones, but they were down to 14 men shortly after, when Matthew John was given a yellow card for a tackle in the air.
Keys wasted little time in taking advantage of the extra man, as space opened up for Leon Andrews to cross for a converted score.
Jones and Prosser exchanged penalties at 6-17 before Keys were also reduced to 14 men; Skinner sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on.
Bedwas struck back just before the interval, Adam Williams squeezing through at the corner after the ball was moved quickly from the base of a scrum.
Jones’ conversion drifted wide across the posts, but he found his range two minutes later with his third penalty and the sides headed in at the break with Keys 17-14 up.
With the night becoming colder, Bedwas spirits were lifted early into the second half as No.8 Andrew Waite broke off the back of a catch-and-drive maul to dive in for a try.
Jones was unsuccessful with his conversion but eight minutes later, the same set-piece resulted in another Waite try which fly-half Jones made no mistake with.
He added a further penalty just past the hour mark before Keys captain Scott Matthews pulled a try back for his side; Prosser’s conversion reducing Bedwas’ lead to five points at 29-24.
Bedwas were determined to hold on to what they had earned and dug deep to keep out Keys who were equally determined to take the spoils but got no change from a resolute defence.
With six minutes remaining Jones slotted his fifth penalty of the evening to stretch the Bedwas lead to an vital eight points.
As Keys fought for the losing bonus point, four successive penalties and another Bedwas sin-binning saw the visitors close in on the home lime, before losing possession of the ball at the vital moment.
• Match report and photography by Ian Lovell of Bedwas RFC.