Bedwas continued their 100% record in the Specsavers Championship with an impressive 29-10 victory over Cardiff Met at the Bridge Field.
Heavy rain across south Wales badly affected several fixtures on Saturday, November 23, however Bedwas’ was declared on after an early morning pitch inspection.
The decision not to postpone the match allowed flanker James Richards to start his 100th match for ‘The Wass’ with the talismanic back-rower playing a prominent role in the bonus-point victory.
The game was barely three-minutes old before the first try of the match as the home side quickly shifted the ball out wide to Owain Keane who scored in the corner.
However, Met fought back as a chip and chase beat the Bedwas cover to allow fly-half Bradley Evans to claim the ball and score near the posts.
Bedwas responded immediately and got back in the lead as the pack matched the physicality of the Met forwards to go through the phases, allowing Richards to bundle over the line.
With the home side in the ascendency, a driving maul that creaked towards the line was brought down by Met, with referee Aled Evans judging it to be legal – much to the dismay of the Bedwas supporters.
As the game neared half-time, both fly-half’s nudged over kickable penalty goals to make the score 15-10 to Bedwas going into the break.
The home side started the second-half brightly and earned themselves a penalty-try after Met this time were adjudged to have collapsed Bedwas’ driving maul near the line, putting them 22-10 ahead.
James Richards 100th game for Bedwas continued to be an eventful one as the flanker received a yellow card for a high tackle, which threatened to give the students a way back into the match.
But, with the match becoming error strewn, Met made it an even playing field by earning themselves a yellow card as Bedwas looked for the bonus-point.
Moments after the binning, the home side were able to relax as they secured the extra point through a wonderful try by Williams, after some superb hands from the Bedwas backline saw the fly-half crash over the line.
With the game firmly out of Met’s reach, Bedwas were able to see the game out and celebrate a seventh straight victory, taking them a step closer to the Championship summit.
Casa Mia Restaurant Man of the Match: James Hallett
Match report provided by Bedwas RFC.