Beddau RFC 15 Bedwas RFC 20
WRU Specsavers Championship, Saturday 21 September 2019.
Match report and photography by Ian Lovell.
In a game of two contrasting halves where Bedwas dominated the first and the home side the second it was a huge relief to the Bedwas management and supporters to hold out a determined Beddau side to claim the win.
From the start Bedwas seemed to hold all the aces as the home eight couldn’t handle the Bedwas scrum. Indeed the first points of the afternoon came from a penalty awarded at a scrum. Dion McIntosh bisecting the posts with his kick.
Bedwas dominance in the scrum continued and saw Number 8 Dale Rogers driven over for a try, improved upon by McIntosh for a 10 point advantage with 13 minutes played.
The Bedwas backline was busy too with break outs by Matt Williams and Jordan Rees snuffed out by the home defence when scoring opportunities looked possible.
Undeterred the Bedwas forwards continued to enjoy dominance in the tight and this was rewarded as Rogers was driven over for his second try of the afternoon after 30 minutes. McIntosh again converting.
Shortly before half time the home side pulled a try back as quick hands across the back line put winger Cameron Ellis in space to cross out wide on the left. Hywel Chatham was unable to add the extras.
With the breeze at their backs for the second half it was a reasonable expectation that Bedwas would kick on and increase their advantage but this was not the case as the home side enjoyed a considerable amount of possession. Bedwas were unable to conjure many scoring opportunities as the home side dominated.
Chatham added a penalty goal after 53 minutes to pull back the deficit before converting a try by full back Callum Wheeler and Bedwas were only five points ahead with twenty minutes to play.
Bedwas spent most of the last twenty minutes on the back foot as Beddau pressed for the winning score but a combination of good defence and a couple of inaccurate passes so scoring chances disappear and Bedwas clung on to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.
Next Saturday (28th September) Bedwas are at home to Ystalyfera, kick off at the usual time of 2-30pm.
Meanwhile at the Bridgefield Bedwas Youth hosted Whiteheads Youth and came away with an excellent 17 points to 10 victory. Try scorers were Kyle Wilson (2) and Osian Davies. Tyler Picton slotted one conversion. Congratulations to the whole side.
Images from the game at Beddau can be found at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bedwasrfc/albums