Newcastle Emlyn RFC 18 v Bridgend Athletic RFC 23

SWALEC Championship: Saturday 19^th September, 2015

On a fine late September afternoon Bridgend Athletic crossed swords with newly promoted home-team Newcastle Emlyn. The last time this fixture occurred was 10 years ago when the Athletic clinched promotion from the old Division 2 West. The visitors boasted two survivors from that day in starters Jonathan Stoker and Gruff Davies as well as Stuart Morris now the backs’ coach.

The Athletic started the game at a high tempo and carried the fight to the home team. Scrum-half Jake Williams directed his troops this way and that to good effect and soon the pressure told. A series of surges kept going left then when young Williams made a half-break Ben Howe picked a lovely line to burst onto his pass and raced over for a try which full-back Lewis Evans converted to give The Ath an early lead.

There followed a period of frantic play from both sides where there were mistakes aplenty during which Evans saw a long-range penalty from half-way drop just under the bar.

The

Athletic front row of Wayne Fooks, Iestyn Merriman and Nick Boyce were more than holding their own and Tom Penry-Ellis and Gruff Davies were grafting well for the team. It was at about this time that the home team had their first period of sustained pressure which almost led to a score but it was called back for a forward pass. Newcastle Emlyn kept up the pressure and a penalty kick to touch gave them a 5m line-out but Jon Stoker stole the throw and fly-half Scott Govan was able to clear the immediate danger. Newcastle Emlyn kept up the pressure and a further series of penalties resulted in a yellow card for Athletic wing Harry Griffiths as full-back Dan Davies reduced the deficit by 3 points.

It was now the turn of the visitors to attack despite being down to 14 men and a thrust down the left by centres Chris Price and Ryan Owen forced a penalty for not releasing in the tackle. Govan kicked to touch and the well-oiled driving maul produced a try for Wayne Fooks which Govan converted.

There was to be no easy run-in to half-time though. Following a thrusting attack up the middle the ball bounced free in contact and the home team counter-attacked with aplomb. The ball was spun quickly to right-wing flier Llyr Jones who outflanked the defence for an unconverted try to make the half-time score 8-14.

What was to prove a rather messy second-half got underway with Newcastle Emlyn on the attack but some good work at the scrum allowed The Ath to attack down the right. Lloyd Griffiths replaced Stoker and further good driving play produced a penalty that Lewis Evans sent through the uprights. Both sides were making changes to personnel and Matt Muir replaced Boyce and Sean Wilcox was on for Harry Griffiths. It wasn’t long before another driven lineout gave Evans another kick at goal and the full-back duly obliged to give the visitors a 12 point lead as well as earning a home player a yellow card.

Newcastle Emlyn certainly weren’t going to lie down and a series of forward drives eventually allowed the biggest man on the field, tight-head prop Xabier Garmendia to crash over. Dan Davies converted to reduce the arrears to 5 points. The last five minutes proved quite frantic. The Athletic had a penalty kick to touch and quickly forced another out wide on the left but Lewis Evans just pushed his effort wide. Fortunately, within a minute another opportunity presented itself and this time he made no mistake. As time faded away the home side forced a penalty and opted to take the goal to earn themselves a losing bonus point as the Athletic ran out winners by 18 points to 23.

Head coach John Apsee, awarding man of the match to the outstanding Ben Howe, said that it might not have been pretty but it was an away win in a very difficult league.

It was great to see our loyal band of supporters making the long trek to Newcastle Emlyn and being rewarded with a hard fought win. Many thanks go to the Newcastle Emlyn club officials and members for their warm and friendly welcome and fine hospitality.

We now look forward to two home games in succession at the Bridgend Ford Brewery Field.  Next Saturday 26^th September we welcome Glynneath and then on Saturday 3^rd October Beddau RFC are the visitors.