Fixture

 

Likely Div 1 West Central champions Trebanos showed why they are favourites to win the league with an all-round 15 man display of running rugby that proved as hot as the afternoon sunshine,running in 5 tries to 1 for a 36-13 victory over Bridgend Athletic. The game was a throwback for seasoned Athletic supporters in how to exploit possession when actually out muscled up front.

 

The Athletic already without their regular youth backs away on tour were forced to reshuffle with further drop outs on the day and losing vice- captain and scrum half Aled Thomas to a leg injury in the opening 10 minutes. Before the Athletic backs could reorganise Trebanos broke through the centre and good support play saw centre Tom Dew cross for a try converted by full back Luke Griffiths. Within a minute, they repeated the move with scrum half Shaun Phillips crossing the whitewash for a second converted try. Trebanos had scored 90 points last week against Ammanford the last team to beat them back in December, and with Athletic full back Dan Howells in the bin things looked ominous for the Athletic.

 

To their credit the Athletic forwards started to control the game up front. No 8 Griff Davies making his 246^th and final Athletic appearance was prominent in leading an Athletic fightback. The front row with prop Matt Muir making his 100^th appearance for the club and fellow prop Wayne Fooks and hooker Nathan Holman started dominating the scrums. Chris John was effective in lineout and loose and captain flanker Ben Howe was his usual inspirational self. They kept the game tight when reduced to 14 players denying Trebanos possession for their speedy back division.

 

Ath outside half Stuart Floyd-Ellis found touch 5 metres from the Trebanos try line from a penalty. The pack then powered their way over from the lineout maul with scrum half Nick Jones cleaning out three Trebanos forwards who came around to attempt to  disrupt the drive, Ben Howe’s touchdown was his seventh of the season. Floyd- Ellis converted the try and quickly added a penalty to bring the Athletic back in contention at 10-14. With two minutes of the half remaining Trebanos turned over possession and whipped the ball quickly to wing Matthew Edwards who ran in from half way. In the final minute of the half Luke Griffiths kicked a penalty to stretch the visitors half time lead to 22-10.

 

The Athletic pack dominated the opening 15 minutes of the second half with excellent forward drives enabling Floyd-Ellis to reduce the deficit to 22-13. Trebanos responded when full back Luke Griffiths collected an up and under just outside his 22, He attacked and ghosted through the Athletic team with a mesmerising run to cross under the posts. His conversion opened a 29-13 lead. Some weak Athletic tackling allowed wing David Scone to run 40 metres for a try converted by Christian Jones. The Athletic kept the free scoring visitors from inflicting a humiliating defeat and in the closing minutes’ wing Harry Griffiths was bundled into touch a few metres short of the Trebanos try line.

 

This has been a season of rebuilding for the Athletic who have blooded 9 of the youth side. Hopefully the experience will serve them well for the future and the team will be able to strengthen in a few positions to make them title contenders next season. The coaches John Apsee and Stuart Morris with David Williams and Paul Hearne in the background have worked hard to resurrect the Athletics’ fortunes following last season’s relegation from the Championship and inevitable player loss. Hopefully they have laid the groundwork for the Athletics’ resurgence in the next season or two

 

The club would like to thank former player and Vice President David Perry of Church Village Travel for his continued support in sponsoring the fixture.