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Bridgend Athletic stretched their winning Div 1 Wet Central run to 7 games with a seasonal double 32-18 bonus point win over Waunarlwydd. The score line does not reflect the difficulty of the game. Waunarlwydd had a much bigger pack than the Athletic and were prepared to match the Athletics’ attacking play. Superb defence aligned to clinical finishing won the day for the Athletic.

Waunarlwydd with a strong breeze behind them unsettled the Athletic early on and from a 5-metre line out in the 7^th minute flanker Rhys Cherry peeled away to cross wide out. Scrum half Lee Evans converted. The visitors continued to play on the front foot with their big back row of Cherry, Stefan Jones and James Cleary serious ball carriers. The Athletic responded with locks Ben Cording and Jonathon Stoker also carrying well for scrum half Aled Thomas to set his backs in motion. Waunarlwydd illegally halted the move for Athletic outside half Luke Bevan to register his century of points for the season with a well struck penalty. Waunarlwyyd were attacking along the Athletic 22 when Athletic centre Stuart Floyd – Ellis anticipated a pass and intercepted to race 75 metres for his ninth try of the season. Bevan’s conversion put the Athletic 10-7 ahead.

This switched the momentum of the game. Athletic scrum half Aled Thomas gathered a clearance kick on his own 10 metre line and launched a counter attack. He chipped over his opponent regathered and passed inside to supporting flanker Ben Howe who drew the full back before releasing wing Dan Howells. The former Ath player playing on permit from his recent move to Swansea outpaced the defence for his 7^th Athletic try of the season. Bevan converted from wide out.

From the restart Lee Evans punished an Athletic mistake with a penalty goal. Two minutes later a poorly executed Waunarlwydd clearance kick saw a dropped pass seized on by Athletic debutant youth wing Sam Palmer who fly kicked ahead and justified his selection with a well taken composed try. Bevan’s 3^rd conversion gave his side a 24-10 half time lead.

The second half started as a replica of the first with Waunarlwydd first out of the blocks. An Evans penalty reduced the deficit, before Bevan cancelled it out with one of his own. The half in deteriorating conditions was much of a stalemate. Sam Treharne came on at lock for the Athletic. The Athletic scrummaged well against heavier opponents with all 5 players used Wayne Fooks, Matthew Norman, Matthew Muir, Lee Murphy and Nathan Holman showing great technique. The back row of Ben Howe, Sean Williams and Ben Davies again showed they are a match for any in this division with superb defence and the ability to turn over ball and counter attack. It was a counter attack of the highest order that secured the Athletic bonus point try. With 7 minutes remaining Waunarlwydd launched a blind side attack from a scrum 5 metres from the Athletic line. Their wing about to be forced into touch threw a pass inside. Athletic captain Ben Howe seized on the loose ball and set off along the touchline before passing to win Howells who sprinted 50 metres before handing on to scrum half Thomas. Thomas on the left touchline spotted three Athletic players Floyd-Ellis, full back Robin Davies and centre Tom Jenkins unopposed on the right-hand touchline and launched a well-directed cross kick. It was Jenkins who won the race to touch down as the ball trickled over the try line to open a 32-13 lead. Athletic wing Tom James then came on.

To their credit Waunarlwydd continued to press and Evans forced his way over with the last move of the match to make the final score 32-18 in favour of the Athletic.

Athletic coaching assistant former Wales scrum half Gerald Williams was delighted with the Athletic performance he said “Man of match Stuart Floyd-Ellis was superb and following a week with flu scrum half Aled Thomas was very good. The back row of Ben Davies, Sean Williams, Ben Howe & replacement Cameron Thomas were again top notch with the Athletic only conceding 6 tries in our 7-game winning run, while our finishing with 31 tries in that period is also exceptional. The front row also scrummaged well throughout despite the pack conceding considerable weight advantage.”

This Saturday Jan 27^th the Athletic look to keep their run going on a visit to Seven Sisters, where it is anticipated remarkable prop Wayne Fooks in his 20^th season of senior rugby will make his 350^th appearance for the Athletic.