Merthyr 33 Bargoed 23
Saturday December 23, The Wern
Bottom side Bargoed gave top of the league Merthyr an almighty scare with a battling performance at The Wern.
A mistake by the Bulls finally put some distance between the two sides with the Ironmen scoring a try in the final moments the game. The try secured the home side a bonus point win and denyed Bargoed what would have been a valuable and surprising losing bonus point.
Only the most optimistic of Bargoed supporters would have expected to get anything from an away trip to pace setters Merthyr, yet for long periods of the first half, Bargoed were dominant.
They took the lead after 11 minutes with a well struck Calum Jones penalty, and were in seventh heaven when hooker Lewys Lippiett and number eight Ieuan Jones combined to send centre Lewis Bowden crashing over for a try on 15 minutes.
Two minutes later Merthyr hit back with their first foray into the Bargoed twenty-two, winger Howden going over with Matthew Jarvis converting.
Merthyr’s second visit to the Bulls’ twenty-two brought another try. Scrum half Rhys Downes’ score edged the home side ahead 14 points to 13 with Jarvis’ conversion.
Again, Bargoed pegged the home side back with another Jones penalty, illustrating that their early competitiveness was here to stay.
The Bulls had held their own in the tight, but as the half wore on there were signs that the home pack were getting the upper hand. A driving maul from a lineout secured the home side’s third try to see the lead change hands again at 19-16 two minutes from the half-time whistle.
There was still time for more drama before half time as referee Ian Davies played advantage for a ruck infringement in front of the Merthyr posts and a second advantage for a high tackle out on the wing. Bargoed threw everything at their opponents’ line, before James Locke came in on a fine angle to cross near the posts to give the Bulls a deserved 19-23 lead at the break.
Merthyr’s pack proceeded to turn the screw in the second half, denying Bargoed any decent possession. On the 55th minute, Rhys Downes crossed for his second try, edging Merthyr ahead by three points.
For the remainder of the half, Bargoed defended resolutely. Although the scoring opportunities had dried up, it looked as if an unlikely losing bonus point was on the cards.
Cruelly however, a misjudged defensive line-out for the visitors was over thrown, and Merthyr centre Josh Martin ran in for a simple try converted by Jarvis to make it 33-23, and deny the visitors a single point for a valiant effort.
The second half of the season commences on Saturday, December 30, with the Principality Premiership’s East and West conferences combining. Bargoed travel to the Gnoll to take on Neath, desperate to get the second phase of the campaign off to a solid start and bring a positive close to 2017.
• Match report by Peter Greening of Bargoed RFC.