Fixture

 

Bridgend Athletic recorded another seasonal double away to Dulais Valley side Seven Sisters. Their bonus point 5 try 33-15 victory did not quite emulate their 51-5 9 try home victory last October – but with a largely inexperienced back division on this occasion it was very important for confidence for the team’s future. It moved them to 3^rd in the table just one point adrift of Aberavon Quins who they host on the 25^th March.

 

The Athletic executed their game plan to exert early forward dominance and should have gone ahead in the second minute when lock Chris John’s scoring pass to his second-row partner Jonathon Stoker was spilled with the try line a few metres away. The Athletic dominated the first quarter territorially and it was ironic their opening try came from Sister’s first excursion into the Athletic 22. A Chris John – Moriarty style crunching tackle knocked the ball from his opponent’s hands. Flanker Johnny Howard was on hand to pick up the loose ball and make ground to half way before releasing speedy wing Mike Powell to run in under the posts from 50 metres. Outside half Luke Bevan converted.

 

Two minutes later wing Liam Phillips also showed his pace intercepting on his own 10 metre line handing off a would be tackler and outpacing the chasing home defence to touch down in the corner. Bevan added an excellent touchline conversion to put the Athletic 14-0 ahead. Seven Sister’s outside half Jack O’Reilly responded with a penalty following a high tackle. The Athletic went straight back on the attack and forward thrusts from Matt Muir, Ben Howe and Griff Davies tied in the Sister’s defence, so when the ball was released by scrum half Aled Thomas to outside half Bevan the youngster spotted a half gap and crossed near the posts. He converted his own try to extend the lead to 21-3.

 

Seven Sister’s hit back and outside half O’Reilly put a grubber kick behind the Athletic defence for centre Kyle Davies to win the race to touch down. O’Reilly’s conversion reduced his side’s deficit to 21-10. Good play from centres Tom Jenkins and normal No 8 Stuart Edbrook playing out of position set up a 5 metre Athletic line out. Chris John took the line out throw in for the forwards to set up a driving maul which resulted in hooker Lee Murphy’s third try in two games from this ploy. It also handed the Athletic a bonus point for their 4^th try of the match and a healthy 26-10 half time lead.

 

In the second period Aled Thomas and Stuart Edbrooke both made decisive breaks which only desperate defence kept out. Eventually lock Chris John was held up metres from the line. Scrum half Thomas ran wide from the maul and fed prop Nathan Holman who ran an excellent well timed inside line to cross wide out. He also scored a try in the earlier home fixture. Bevan converted to stretch the lead to 33-10. The Athletic brought on replacements Ben Cording, Jacob David and Matt Norman. Norman shored up the scrum against a heavy home pack and was excellent in the loose.

 

Sister’s reverted to a tight game with kicking for position. Full back Nick Jones aided by Thomas were up to the task of dealing with this aerial threat. The home side also played for pride before a large support and were rewarded late on with a try from John Hapgood from a 5-metre driving line out.

 

Team Manager Paul Hearne said “It was a good all round team performance and was particularly pleasing that five players stepping up from the 2^nd XV fully played their part in the win.”