Fixture

 

Bridgend Athletic won their final game of 2016 by 24 points to 15 in a hard-fought derby at the Croft Goch headquarters of Kenfig Hill. Two inspirational tries from youth scrum half Dan James and fourteen points from the reliable boot of youth team centre Stuart Floyd-Ellis set up the victory.

 

Playing down the slope the Mules had the better of the opening exchanges and went ahead after only five minute’s play. They drove the Athletic back from a 5 metre scrum for captain and scrum half Tom Briggs to cross for the opening try. Apart from a break out by wing Garin Lougher the Athletic struggled in the opening stages against the fired up Mules.

 

The Athletic gradually fought their way back into the game. Hooker Nathan Holman found flanker Ben Howe with a 30 metre out line out throw. The Athletic captain set up a driving maul. Scrum half Dan James received the ball and spotting a gap with the Mule’s flankers tied in to the maul sped away and crossed in the corner to level the scores. Outside half Harrison Evans restored the home side’s lead with a 30-metre penalty.

 

The referee had warned both sides about the number of penalties they were conceding and Kenfig Hill paid the price when their lock infringed 15 metres out in front of their posts and was sent to the bin. Surprisingly in a tight game with few chances the Athletic opted for a scrum rather than an easy 3-point penalty on offer. Despite pushing the Mules back they picked up the ball and were caught conceding their own penalty which allowed the home side to clear. With the Mules restored to 15 players it was the Athletics’ time to find themselves a man short with their own yellow card.

 

Despite a player disadvantage the Athletic opened up play and a break on half way from centre Stuart Floyd-Ellis was carried on as co centre Michael Hathaway, outside half Sam Richards, full back Dan Howells and Chris Price handled in the move up to the 22. When play was halted, prop Zach Evans won the ball on the floor and James picked up and broke clear to chip over the full back to win the race to touch down under the posts for another solo try. Floyd-Ellis converted to give the Athletic a 12-8 half time lead.

 

Early in the second half Floyd-Ellis extended the Athletic lead to 15-8 with a 35-metre penalty won from a driving maul. This only served to inspire a fight back by the Mules and they camped inside the Athletic 22 with hooker Gareth Harvey leading a number of drives towards the try line. Only inspired defence with the back row of MOM Stuart Edbrook, Ben Howe and Johnny Howard prominent kept the Mules out. However, the pressure told and the Athletic were again reduced to 14 men with another yellow card. Kenfig Hill took advantage and moved the ball from a scrum for centre Shaun Burnell to cross. Harrison Evans conversion levelled the scores.

 

With 20 minutes remaining the Mules back line was caught offside and Floyd-Ellis punished them with a well struck penalty from 45 metres out. The Athletic brought on prop Wayne Fooks and youth flanker Luke Williams. Fooks along with fellow prop Matt Muir and hooker Nathan Holman established superiority at the set scrums and locks Griff Davis and Jonathan Stoker carried strongly to keep Kenfig Hill pinned back in their own half. When the home side infringed to stop a significant Athletic driving maul they were forced to play out the final 9 minutes a man short with their lock in the sin bin. Floyd-Ellis increased the lead to 21-15 with the resultant penalty. With the final move of the game Kenfig Hill desperately tried to play the ball inside their own 22 conceding a penalty for holding on in a tackle. The Athletic youngster Floyd-Ellis claimed a 14 point match haul with his fourth penalty to add to his conversion.

 

Athletic Team Manager Paul Hearne commented “It was a hard-fought game between two evenly matched sides which we were glad to win. It was good to play Kenfig Hill again and we were grateful their hospitality off the field matched the rivalry on it. At this level, it is what the game of rugby should be about. We look forward to reciprocate when hosting the Mules in the return fixture.”