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Last season Bridgend Athletic finished 3^rd in National League Division 1 West Central behind Maesteg Harlequins & Ystalyfera. This season having been moved by the WrU to Division 1 East Central they repeated a third placed finish with only Glamorgan Wanderers and Rumney above them. The Athletic 2^ND XV finished 4^th in the WRU Conference league behind Bargoed, Penallta & Cardiff Met.

The 1^st XV overall playing record was P22, W15, L7, PF 415, PA 335, TF 50, TA 46 – Points 65. With an unsettled side and constant changing backline, the team found life against far more physical and bigger sides in Div 1 East Central very challenging at first.

 After 9 games their playing record was P9, W3, L6, PF 145, PA 192, TF 15 TA 25 – and 10^th in the league with 14 points. Following a humiliating 35-8 5 try drubbing at Llantrisant on Nov 24^th came a Damascus type turn around. Coaches John Apsee, Stuart Morris, David Williams and Gerald Williams made 2 big decisions that completely changed their side’s fortunes.

 Last season’s big and speedy youth back row of Tom Davies, Will Barraclough and Owain Leyshon was struggling for game time with established incumbents Ben Howe, Sean Williams and Ben Davies difficult to dislodge. The solution to shore up a leaky back division was to move Davies to centre and Barraclough and Leyshon onto the wings. The second decision was to return from the Brewery Field to the club’s natural home at Newbridge Fields. The team never looked back and their playing record in the final 13 Games was W12, L1, PF269, PA 144, TF 35, TA 21 and 51 league points in those games, with all 6 games at Newbridge Fields won. The final 10 games were all won. Davies, Barraclough and Leyshon contribute 11 tries in their new positions.

The team defeated every side except champions Glamorgan Wanderers at least once and came within 2 points of a home win against the Wanderers. They completed league doubles over Gilfach Goch, Treorchy, Mountain Ash, Rhiwbina & St Joseph’s and in a massive turnaround defeated Llantrisant at Newbridge Fields by 45 points to 9.

Centre Tom Jenkins played in all 22 league games and 23 games overall. Matthew Muir & Jonathan Stoker also completed 23 games. Captain Ben Howe, Wayne Fooks & Sean Williams 1 behind on 22. On 21 were Ben Cording, Tom Davies, Lee Murphy & Aled Thomas, while Ben Davies played 19 times.

Luke Bevan returning from a long injury to play in only the last 7 games was top points scorer with 69. Ben Howe led the try scorers with 8 followed by Dan James 6, Ben Davies, Tom Davies, Will Barraclough and Aled Thomas 5 and Ben Cording 4.

Major milestones during the season saw Wayne Fooks play his 300^th 1^ST XV game and 378^th senior appearance. Jonathon Stoker his 300^th senior appearance and 250^th 1^ST XV game, while Ben Howe and Mathew Norman both made their 100^th 1^ST XV appearance.

The 2^nd XV WRU Conference statistics were P11, W6, L5, PF 189, PA 237, TF 26, TA 34 – Points 29. Wing Ryan Pickford played in all 11 league games and 13 overall. Next best appearances were player manager Liam Griffiths & Josh Seldon with 11 games. Lewis Dando, Lloyd Pemberton, Aled Pilliner and Callum Swinford made 10 appearances, Joe Symons 9, Alex Borley and Scott Jones 8, Hywel Cosby 7, Andrew Brown, Lewis Down, Ellis James and Nick Jones finished on 6.

Scott Jones was leading points scorer with 51. Top try scorer was Ryan Pickford with 4 followed by Josh Seldon, Scott Jones, Hywel Cosby & Harry Griffiths with 2 apiece.

Major milestones in the 2^nd XV were 100 Senior Appearances during the season for Andrew Brown, Rhys Jones and Nick Jones.

Next up for Bridgend Athletic is the Player of the Year night at the Heronston Hotel on Saturday, June 1^st and finding out which Div 1 League the WRU will ask the 1^st XV team to play in next season. Head Coach John Apsee is confident if the side stay together, they have a chance of winning whatever league 1 Division they play in.

The club wish local side Bridgend all the best with their efforts to retain their Premiership status this season. 10 players originating from Bridgend Athletic have played for the Ravens this season. Backs Mike Powell, Stuart Floyd- Ellis, Caine Woolerton and Dan James and forwards Rhodri Apsee, Iestyn Merriman, Lloyd Pears, Chris John, Tom Morgan and Joe Grabham. Powell, Woolerton, James, Ellis, Apsee & Grabham have also turned out for the Athletic this season.