News

Bridgend Athletic moved to the top of Div 1 West Central on points differential from Maesteg Quins following a 40-14 victory over neighbours Kenfig Hill – though the Quins and Ystalyfera could overtake the Athletic with games in hand. Credit must go to the Morganstone Brewery Field groundsman for a pitch in excellent conditions following a day and night of heavy rain.

The current 10 match winning run commenced with a 39-0 victory over the Mules back on November 11^th and coincidentally the return of their talisman captain and flanker Ben Howe from a preseason injury for that fixture. On that occasion the Athletic crossed for 7 unanswered tries, but while scoring 6 this time conceded two soft late tries to prevent another whitewash. The game saw scrum half Dan James return from a broken jaw sustained on the 30^th December against Tondu.

Man, of the match Howe set up field position for the opening try with a decisive break into the Mules 22 forcing an infringement. Luke Bevan put the penalty into touch 5 metres from the try line. A driving maul was halted but when lock Ben Cording was halted fellow lock Jonathon Stoker forced his way over near the right-hand touchline. Bevan converted. Further forward pressure saw prop Matthew Norman halted just short of the line, but Kenfig Hill were unable to halt fellow prop Matthew Muir as he forced his way over wide out on the left-hand side of the field. Bevan showed he could convert from either side of the field as his conversion saw the Athletic become the first side to reach 400 league points this season.

The Athletic found themselves defending a line out 5 metres from their own try line. No 8 Sean Williams won the ball and the Athletic drove to their 22 before scrum half Dan James passed back to Bevan to send the ball soaring upfield. The Athletic then went on the offensive and flanker Ben Davies received the ball 35 metres out and beat 3 defenders in a powerful run to cross for the third Athletic try. Bevan again converted to put the Athletic in the driving seat with a 21-0 half time lead.

Five minutes after the restart Athletic wing Tom James charged down an attempted clearance kick just short of the Kenfig Hill try line. A knock on saw the Athletic with a 5-metre scum. Scrum half James fed centre Tom Jenkins who put Tom James over in the corner for the Athletics’ bonus point try to reward his initial charge down. Bevan converted.

From the restart full back Robin Davies, wing Liam Phillips and centre Aled Thomas combined to feed scrum half Dan James. James made a break and chipped the full back but was impeded in the chase. Bevan kicked the resultant penalty to within 5 metres of the try line. Hooker Nathan Holman steered the line out driving maul across the try line for his fourth try of the season. Bevan’s conversion opened a 35-0 lead.

To their credit as the Athletic took their foot off the pedal Kenfig Hill stepped on the gas. A sustained period of pressure saw Mule’s wing break a tackle and race over. The Athletic were then caught napping as Kenfig Hill threw a quickly taken line out straight to replacement Scott Johnson who ran through an opening as wide as the parting of the Red Sea in the Athletic defence to cross under the posts. Outside half Cameron Hall converted both tries to reduce his side’s deficit to 35-14.

A fractured ankle which will keep prop Matthew Norman out for the remainder of the season saw hooker Holman move to prop and Lee Murphy assume the hooking role, while flanker Sam Treharne also came on. Murphy controlled another 5-metre line out drive to cross for the final Athletic score and his first try of the season.

Head coach John Apsee while happy with the result and singling out the back row and outside half Bevan for their contribution was disappointed with conceding the two tries. He was also disappointed with the combination of weather and six nations preventing team momentum. Having gone 3 weeks since the last game the Athletic must wait another two weeks before their next fixture at Resolven on the 24^th March. While it was good to see Dan James return the club are sorry to lose prop Matthew Norman for the rest of the season and wish him well.

The Athletic are again grateful to long term sponsor Mr Richard Dyke of R & M Dyke (Civil Engineering) Ltd for sponsoring the fixture.