Maesteg Quins RFC 0 Bedwas RFC 29
WRU Specsavers Championship, Saturday 07 December 2019.
Match report and photography by Ian Lovell.
A last gasp Mike Dacey try claimed Bedwas a bonus point win after a hard fought game played in drizzling rain for the virtually the whole game.
After a cagey opening Bedwas took the lead after 10 minutes courtesy of a Dion McIntosh penalty goal. Further chances to score were few as both sides struggled to control a slippery ball.
Although the Bedwas scrum was creaking the forwards were effective in the loose as a driving maul was illegally stopped resulting in a yellow card for home hooker Thomas. Bedwas made the extra man count shortly afterwards as Mike Dacey emerged from a pile of bodies to claim the first try after an earlier effort from Dale Rogers was deemed held up. Dion McIntosh added the conversion.
Bedwas lost two influential forwards within three minutes of each other as both Jonathan Armitage and Gareth Allen left the field with serious looking ankle injuries to be replaced by Owen Jones and Matthew Bovington respectively.
Half time arrived with no further scores but Bedwas wasted no time in increasing their advantage in the second half with Owen Jones running through for a try improved upon by McIntosh.
Twenty minutes later Jones went from saint to sinner after receiving a yellow card for not retreating 10 metres at a home penalty but crucially no points were conceded whilst Jones was on the side-lines.
The introduction of Kelvyn Williams after 48 minutes and Lewis Davies 20 minutes later shored up the Bedwas scrum and combined with some strong tackling kept the home side out.
Five minutes after Jones’ return in the gathering gloom Matthew Bovington barged through for a try, the conversion attempt going wide as the coaches implored one big last push to get the four try bonus point.
After coming agonisingly close and with the clock running down the bonus point was won by the forwards whose driving maul could not be stopped and Mike Dacey was at the bottom of the pile to claim the try. McIntosh’s conversion was quickly followed by the final whistle.
Next Saturday (14th December) Bedwas play their last game prior to the Christmas period as we host Glamorgan Wanderers in what is expected to be another physical examination.
Images from this game can be found at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bedwasrfc/albums